What Is a Passkey and How Does It Work?

Passkeys are quickly becoming a preferred solution over traditional passwords in the digital security space. As cyber threats evolve and grow more sophisticated, the demand for more secure, streamlined authentication methods is rising.

Passkeys offer an innovative approach, eliminating many of the vulnerabilities associated with passwords while enhancing user convenience. This shift marks a significant step forward in securing online accounts against modern attacks. In this article, we will explore what passkeys are, how they work, and why they're poised to revolutionize the way we access our online accounts.

Understanding Passkeys: A Simple Explanation

A passkey is a digital credential that allows users to sign in to websites and apps without needing a traditional password. Instead of relying on a memorized string of characters (i.e. passwords), passkeys use cryptographic techniques and your device's built-in authentication methods, such as biometrics or a PIN, to verify your identity.

Passkeys are built on the FIDO2 standard, which was developed by the FIDO Alliance. Formed in 2013, it brought together companies like Google, Microsoft, and Apple with the goal of eliminating the security flaws of passwords. They created open standards for passwordless authentication, which use public-key cryptography to ensure that passwords are never shared with websites or stored in vulnerable databases.

Since 2020, major tech companies have adopted passkeys as part of their ecosystems, with Apple, Google, and Microsoft rolling out support for this technology. This has led to widespread adoption across platforms, enabling seamless, secure authentication for millions of users. Passkeys are now seen as the future of digital security, eliminating the weaknesses of passwords and offering a simpler, more secure way to log in.

The Technology Behind Passkeys: How They Work

Passkeys are built on a foundation of public key cryptography, offering a secure and streamlined alternative to traditional passwords. Instead of storing a password, passkeys generate two cryptographic keys — a public key and a private key. Here's how they work:

1. Key Generation: When you set up a passkey, your device (i.e., personal smartphone, tablet, or PC) creates a unique public-private key pair.
2. Public Key Storage: The public key is sent to and stored on the website's server. This key alone cannot be used to sign in.
3. Private Key Storage: The private key is securely stored on your device, often in a secure enclave or trusted platform module (TPM).
4. Authentication Process: When you attempt to log in, the website sends a challenge to your device. Your device uses the private key to sign this challenge, creating a unique signature.
5. Verification: The website verifies the signature using the stored public key, confirming your identity without ever seeing your private key.

This process ensures that your authentication credentials never leave your device, significantly reducing the risk of interception or theft. The use of device-specific security features like biometrics adds an extra layer of protection, ensuring that only you can initiate the authentication process.

Benefits of Passkeys Over Traditional Passwords

Built on advanced cryptographic technology, passkeys provide a more secure and efficient method for authentication. Here are their key advantages over traditional passwords:

1. Reduced Risk of Data Breaches: Websites only store public keys, which are useless without the corresponding private keys. This significantly reduces the impact of server-side breaches.
2. User Experience: With passkeys, there's no need to remember complex passwords or frequently change them. Users can authenticate using familiar methods like fingerprint scans or facial recognition.
3. Cross-Device Compatibility: Passkeys can be synced across devices within the same ecosystem, allowing for seamless authentication across multiple platforms.
4. Elimination of Password-Related Problems: Issues like forgotten passwords, password reuse, and weak passwords become obsolete with passkeys.
   
   

Passkeys and Device Compatibility: What You Need to Know

Passkey support is rapidly expanding across major platforms and devices:

 Apple Devices: Passkeys are supported on iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura or later. They work with Safari and can be synced across devices via iCloud Keychain.

 Android Devices: Android 9 and later support passkeys. Google has integrated passkey functionality into the Google Password Manager.

 Windows: Windows 10 and 11 support passkeys, with integration into Microsoft Edge and Chrome browsers.

 Web Browsers: Major browsers like Chrome, Safari, and Edge support passkeys, with Firefox support in development.

It's worth noting that while passkey adoption is growing, not all websites and apps support this technology yet. As more services implement passkey support, users will be able to take full advantage of this secure authentication method across their digital lives.

How to Set Up and Use Passkeys for Your Accounts? 

Although passkeys are not yet widely supported as a primary sign-in method across all websites, their adoption is steadily growing each year. In addition to Google, Microsoft, and Apple, platforms like Amazon, Discord, Facebook, and others are embracing this secure authentication method (you can check the full list here).

If you're considering switching to passkeys in your business environment, solutions like Hideez Workforce Identity can help. This passwordless solution, based on a FIDO2 server, enables passkey logins even for web services that don’t natively support FIDO standards. Implementation is free for up to 50 users, with a premium tier offering additional authentication methods and use cases, including workstation access and legacy system support.

The process for creating and using a passkey is similar across platforms. Here's an example of creating a passkey for a Google account:

Step 1. Security Settings: In your account's security settings, you'll find an option to create a passkey.

Step 2. Passkey Creation: After verifying your identity (e.g., using your default password), you'll be prompted to create a passkey. If using a PC, you can authenticate with the device's built-in method or choose signing in via another device linked to your Google account. You can add multiple passkeys for different devices.

Step 3. Future Logins: For subsequent logins, select the passkey option and authenticate with any of your authorized devices. You can easily remove passkeys as needed, ensuring only your chosen devices have access.

It's important to note that the process may vary slightly depending on the device, operating system, and browser you're using. However, the overall concept remains consistent across platforms.

The Role of Passkeys in Multi-Factor Authentication

Passkeys can also serve as a powerful component of multi-factor authentication (MFA) strategies. In fact, passkeys inherently provide a form of two-factor authentication by combining something you have (your device) with something you are (biometric) or something you know (device PIN). 

For high-security environments, passkeys can be combined with additional factors for even stronger authentication. This could include security keys or additional biometric factors, depending on the level of security required.

Security Keys vs. Passkeys: What's the Difference?

While security keys (also known as FIDO2 keys or hardware tokens) and passkeys are both built on the FIDO2 standard, they serve different purposes. Security keys are physical devices like USB or NFC tokens that store cryptographic keys, requiring users to plug them into a computer or tap them to a phone for authentication. They are widely used for high-security environments, especially in enterprises. On the other hand, passkeys are digital and stored directly on devices like smartphones or computers. Passkeys leverage biometrics or PINs for authentication and can sync across multiple devices, offering greater convenience for everyday users while still maintaining strong security.

Privacy and Security Considerations of Passkeys

While passkeys offer significant security improvements, it's important to understand their privacy implications:

• Biometric Data Protection: Biometric data used for device authentication never leaves your device. Websites only receive confirmation that you've successfully authenticated.
• Cross-Site Tracking Prevention: Passkeys are designed to prevent cross-site tracking. Each passkey is unique to a specific website, ensuring your online activities remain separate.
• Device Security: The security of your passkeys relies on the security of your devices. It's crucial to maintain strong device security practices, including using secure lock screens and keeping software up to date.
• Account Recovery: While passkeys eliminate the risk of forgotten passwords, losing access to your devices could potentially lock you out of your accounts. It's important to set up recovery methods and backup your passkeys when possible.

The Future of Authentication: Will Passkeys Replace Passwords?

The adoption of passkeys represents a significant shift in the authentication landscape. While it's unlikely that passwords will disappear overnight, passkeys are poised to become the dominant form of authentication in the coming years.

Several factors are driving this transition:

• Industry Support: Major tech companies are heavily investing in passkey technology and integrating it into their ecosystems.
• Improved Security: As cyber threats continue to evolve, the enhanced security offered by passkeys becomes increasingly attractive to both users and organizations.
• User Experience: The simplicity and convenience of passkeys make them appealing to users frustrated with traditional password management.
• Regulatory Pressure: As data protection regulations become more stringent, passkeys offer a way for organizations to enhance security and demonstrate compliance.

However, the transition to a passwordless future will likely be gradual. Legacy systems, user education, and the need for backwards compatibility will all play a role in the pace of adoption. In the near term, we can expect to see a hybrid approach where passkeys coexist with traditional passwords, giving users and organizations time to adapt to the new technology.