Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

I've noticed more sites using the ability to access an e-mail account as an authentication mechanism.

I think they are using it different ways. Booking.com uses it as a primary authentication mechanism: enter your e-mail address, they send a link to that e-mail address, and clicking the link effectively authenticates you and you are logged in.

When I click on a link to a NextDoor post, sometimes it redirects me to a page with a button. Click the button, they send you an e-mail with a link, and clicking the link redirects me to the NextDoor post. What isn't clear in this case is if the e-mail link is a primary form of authentication, or secondary. For example, maybe my auth session expired, so they know I logged in at some point in the past, and the link in the e-mail is used to refresh my session.

I have to admit, I like the ease of using e-mail access as a form of authentication. I'm not sure how I feel about it being the primary form of authentication.



Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: