Lionel Sujay Vailshery
Research expert covering cloud computing and emerging tech industries
Passkeys - statistics & facts
The gold standard for securing our digital content – the password – is being phased out in favor of more secure "passwordless" authentication forms. Among those are passkeys: Secure and convenient digital credentials associated with a user's account, website, or application. The use of passkeys eliminates the need for passwords, which are the most used security factor and additional verification factors. This advanced technology replaces traditional authentication methods, providing a more secure and streamlined experience.
When accessing a service that employs passkeys, the user's browser or operating system will guide them in selecting and using the correct passkey. This process is similar to the way saved passwords function nowadays. To ensure secure access to the passkey, the system requires the user to unlock their device using either PIN, pattern, or biometric technologies, such as fingerprint or facial recognition.
FIDO Alliance – changing the reliance on passwords
The FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) Alliance aims to reduce reliance on passwords by developing and promoting authentication standards. They support various technologies, including biometrics and existing solutions such as USB security tokens or smart cards, and use public-key cryptography for authentication. This alliance comprises the world's most influential tech giants, from device manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung to software and hardware providers like Microsoft and Intel.The authentication revolution
Passkeys use public key cryptography to enhance security and prevent data breaches that cost several industries millions of dollars each year. A public-private key pair is generated on a user's device, and only the public key is stored by the site or app. This makes passkeys useless to attackers who try to derive the user's private key for authentication. Passkeys are also secure from phishing attacks since they are bound to the identity of the website or app and can only be used with the original site or app. Since Google, Apple, and Microsoft deliver passkey support along their product line, true cross-platform compatibility is guaranteed, with passkeys expected to be the future of passwordless authentication.
