With the continued rise of cyber threats and the increasing complexity of managing multiple online accounts, passwords are becoming more and more inadequate. Many individuals resort to reusing passwords or committing other password-related mistakes, making it easier for malicious actors to guess or steal login details. However, with the emergence of passkeys, a new era of passwordless logins may be upon us.
Passkeys, also known as public key cryptography, offer several benefits over traditional passwords and even two-factor authentication (2FA). When setting up a passkey, a pair of cryptographic keys is generated – a private key and a corresponding public key. The private key is stored on the user’s devices, while the public key is uploaded to the servers of the online service, such as Google or Apple.
The authentication process with passkeys is much simpler and more secure. Instead of entering or remembering passwords, users are asked to authenticate using a PIN, fingerprint, or another device screen-lock mechanism. The server sends a cryptographic challenge to the user’s device, which is solved by the private key and relayed back to the server. Both the public and private key pairs are required to authenticate the user, ensuring that the process is secure and seamless.
One of the main benefits of passkeys is their resistance to phishing and social engineering attacks. With passkeys, users don’t need to enter their login credentials into potentially fake websites, reducing the risk of inadvertently sharing sensitive information with cybercriminals. Passkeys also prevent fallout from third-party breaches. Even if a website or app provider is breached, only public keys could be stolen, rendering them useless to attackers without the corresponding private keys.
Passkeys also offer protection against brute-force attacks, as they rely on public key cryptography, making them nearly impossible to guess or crack using brute-force techniques. Additionally, passkeys eliminate the risk of interception during the two-factor authentication process, as there is no second factor involved. Passkeys can be considered as consisting of multiple authentication factors, providing robust security.
Passkeys are built on industry standards such as the FIDO Alliance and W3C WebAuthn working group, ensuring interoperability across different operating systems, browsers, websites, apps, and mobile ecosystems. Major tech companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft are supporting passkeys, as are password management companies and platforms like 1Password, Dashlane, WordPress, PayPal, eBay, and Shopify.
Furthermore, passkeys offer easy recovery options, as they can be stored in the cloud and restored to a new device if lost. Users no longer need to remember and protect numerous passwords, simplifying the login process. Passkeys also work seamlessly across multiple devices, eliminating the need for frequent re-enrollment.
However, there are some challenges and limitations to consider. Passkeys currently sync only to devices running the same operating system, which may inconvenience users who use devices across different platforms. For example, a user with an iOS device and a Windows device would need to go through additional steps to sync passkeys. Additionally, passkey adoption is still in its early stages, and not all websites and apps support this technology. Achieving industry-wide adoption may take some time.
Despite these challenges, passkeys offer a strong alternative to passwords and 2FA. They provide a higher level of security, simplicity, and convenience for users. However, for passkeys to become widely accepted and used, tech vendors need to make it even easier to use them across different operating system ecosystems. Interested users can easily get started with passkeys by accessing the settings menu of their Google, Apple, or Microsoft accounts. As passkeys continue to evolve and gain momentum, they may mark the beginning of the end for traditional passwords.