Passkeys

Padlock — Passkeys are safer than passwords

Passkeys are a new way to sign in to websites and apps that are more secure and easier to use than passwords. These new digital credentials aim to replace passwords as the primary way to authenticate users.

Passkeys are still a new technology, but they are quickly gaining support. As more websites and apps adopt passkeys, they will become the standard way to sign in online.

Users who want to sign in to an existing account will authenticate using their device’s biometric sensor (such as a fingerprint or facial recognition), PIN, or pattern. A passkey is not visible to the user, and there is nothing about it that the user has to create, remember, or manage.

Passkeys have several advantages over passwords:

Passkeys are more secure because they are always strong and not vulnerable to phishing, brute-force attacks, or leaks. They are stored encrypted and are not readable. On the other hand, passwords can be weak, reused, cracked, or stolen by deception.

Passkeys are more convenient because the user doesn’t have to remember or type anything, and they are more privacy-friendly because they don’t reveal any information about you. Instead, the user can approve logins on their device using biometric authentication, such as a fingerprint or face scan.

Passkeys are stored securely on your account and synced automatically and seamlessly across devices. Therefore, they are available on all computers when the user signs in with their account, unlike passwords, which you must manually enter or copy from one device to another.

Passkeys are linked only with the website or app they were created for, thereby protecting users from getting tricked into using a passkey to sign in to a fraudulent website or app. Passkeys won’t work elsewhere, unlike passwords, which users can use across different websites and apps.

Passkeys replace both a password and one-time passwords, such as codes via SMS, to deliver robust protection against phishing attacks. Unlike passwords plus OTPs, which scammers can intercept, passkeys require a single authentication, and hackers cannot spoof them.

Make sure to check our article on how to manage passwords.