Tech giant Google has announced that it is rolling out support for its passkeys authentication system, which it claims is more secure than standard passwords and two-step verification. Passkeys are a major step towards a “passwordless future” and were jointly announced by Apple, Google, and Microsoft a year ago. With this move, Google has finally implemented support for a system that has been under development for almost a decade.
Passkeys can be authenticated using biometric authentication, a device lock PIN, or physical authentication keys. Once created, passkeys solely reside on the device and cannot be written down or given to a bad actor. This virtual aspect of the passkey makes it easier to prevent fraud since it cannot be stolen by hackers.
In addition to being used as an alternative authentication method to regular passwords and two-step verification, passkeys reduce the need for long and complicated passwords that need to be changed frequently. The system uses an authentication system created by the FIDO Alliance and the W3C WebAuthn working group, which allows it to work across multiple platforms and browsers that have adopted the standard.
Using passkeys for logging into supported websites and apps from mobile devices or laptops is as simple as using biometric authentication or typing in a PIN. However, it is important to note that using a simple PIN for unlocking your device can compromise the security of the passkey system. Nonetheless, the biometric data is not shared online or stored in the cloud, making the entire system quite safe.
The introduction of passkeys is expected to make logging into apps and websites easier, more secure, and more convenient. The shift towards passwordless authentication is expected to be a game-changer, especially since passwords have long been considered the weakest link in security. The implementation of passkeys by Google is likely to be a sign of things to come, and it will be interesting to see how other tech companies follow suit.
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