Passkeys vs Passwords

With an increase in the instances of cyber-attacks worldwide, tech giants have come up with a safe and convenient method of logging into your account. This new method for a secure login is known as Passkeys. This new technology makes it much more difficult for hackers to steal your critical information. 

In this blog, you learn about this technology and why it is better than Passwords. 

What exactly is a passkey? 

You can understand passkeys as login credentials that can help you log into your multiple online accounts without the need for passwords. In this method, the authentication of the person is done through biometrics such as fingerprints or face scans. Moreover, the pin or the swipe pattern of your mobile device can also be used to access the accounts.

One of the important things to remember about passkeys is that you can’t use their functions on another device unless you have a QR code. User can scan a QR code with their registered mobile devices and use fingerprints or pins to validate the sign in from a nearby device. 

The most attractive feature of passkeys is their ability to provide the security of multi-factor authentication in a single step. Passkeys can replace passwords and OTP to provide a strong security protocol which is resilient against any phishing or malware attacks. 

Below are some of the key features that make passkeys an obvious for users to safeguard their valuable data.

You can understand passkeys as login credentials that can help you log into your multiple online accounts without the need for passwords. In this method, the authentication of the person is done through biometrics such as fingerprints or face scans. Moreover, the pin or the swipe pattern of your mobile device can also be used to access the accounts.

One of the important things to remember about passkeys is that you can’t use their functions on another device unless you have a QR code. User can scan a QR code with their registered mobile devices and use fingerprints or pins to validate the sign in from a nearby device. 

The most attractive feature of passkeys is their ability to provide the security of multi-factor authentication in a single step. Passkeys can replace passwords and OTP to provide a strong security protocol which is resilient against any phishing or malware attacks. 

Below are some of the key features that make passkeys an obvious for users to safeguard their valuable data.

1. Passkeys allow you to sign in to your account without having to fill up the username.
2. Users can simply access their accounts with the help of fingerprints, pins, or patterns registered with their mobile phones.
3. A single-time registration for passkeys is all that is required to switch to your new devices.
4. Better security measures as the developer only saves a key to the server in place of passwords, which is hard to decrypt.
5. Passkeys save users from phishing attacks. This is because they work only on the registered websites and apps, and the operating system handles the verification.
6. Passkeys reduce the cost of sending SMSs, which makes them a cost effective option also.

How to create a passkey for a website or application? 

With a passkey, when you try to access your account, your device’s browser or the OS will help select the right passkey for you. The process will be the same as that of saved passwords. To make sure only the right person gets access, the system will ask you to verify your identity through biometrics or other methods.  

Follow the steps discussed below to create a passkey.

1. Before starting, you should ensure you are registered with the website or the application.
2. Visit the website and log in to the account with the help of old login credentials.
3. Click on the “CREATE A PASSKEY” button.
4. Verify the information stored on the new passkey.

After these steps, your device will generate a signature as per the passkey. Now, the signature created will be used to verify the login details between the browser and the passkey. 

How does the system of passkey work?

Passkeys are the ways to make your online account more secure. They are managed by your device’s operating system, such as Android, or you can save them in places like Google Password Manager. This allows you to use them on different devices if they are signed into the same Google account.

Passkeys are encrypted on your mobile devices, and you will need to decrypt them on a new device. Moreover, if you have an Android OS 14 or later, you can choose a different password manager as per your preference. 

Let us take an example to have a clear understanding of how Passkey works. 

Suppose a user is operating a Mobile device and wants to make a sign in from this device. This user has already generated a passkey on his window devices. In this case, the system will generate a QR code, which must be scanned by the registered mobile device of the users.

After the scanning, the user will be required to authenticate the access on Windows with fingerprints or swipe patterns. Finally, the user will be able to access the online account on his Windows system without having to register again. 

Privacy Considerations

Users can have privacy concerns about the use of passkeys, which need to be cleared to build a sense of trust with the users. Some of the very common queries related to the privacy aspect of passkeys are discussed below: 

1. Biometric issue:

When using passkeys, your biometric information, such as fingerprint or facial scan data, remains on your devices. It is not sent to a third-party website or app. This means that your sensitive data remains safe and secure with you all the time.

2. No tracking:

This is one of the most common questions that arise from the idea of using passkeys. Well, to bust this myth, it is important to understand that passkeys don’t let websites or apps track you across different websites. This is because each passkey generated is unique to a site and ensures that you are not tracked online.

3. Secure passkey managers:

Services like Google Password Manager make sure that your passkeys are encrypted end to end. You are the only one who can use them, and they are protected even when backed up to Google’s servers.

Final Words!!

The increase in hacking attacks has made it critical to have a security protocol that can help you protect your precious data from hacking attacks. To this, the technology of passkeys allows users to easily and securely sign in to their online accounts.

Before using a new technology, it is always advised to learn about the critical aspects of the same. This blog has discussed some of the key points that you should be aware of before deciding on the implementation. 

So, if you are someone who deals with sensitive data or otherwise, passkeys can help you enhance your online security and safeguard your digital assets.