Passkeys are tools used for identifying yourself online. They’re usually stored on your computer or mobile device.
Google has introduced Passkeys, which are unique identity marks saved on a PC, smartphone or USB device, on its web browser, Chrome, in another move towards a password-less future.
Passkeys
Passwords are annoying. Passkeys let you skip them altogether. Websites that implement Google’s Passkey API will be able to verify your identity without asking for any additional information.
Passwords are increasingly being replaced by biometrics and facial recognition technology. They can be phoned in, stolen, or hacked.
“Passkeys, cannot be reused, don’t leak in server breaches, and protect users from phishing attacks”,
Google said in a blog post.
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What are Passkeys like?
Passkeys can be used for authentication just like how you use your password to log into websites. You could use a unique pin code or even a fingerprint scan.
Where is it Available?
Passkeys, which arrived in iOS 16 and MacOS Ventura in recent weeks, most often use a biometric check on your phone or laptop to authenticate your access to an app or website.
Now that Google has added support for Passkeys in its browser, Chrome, it can sync passwords between browsers on multiple computers and even between an Android device and Chrome on another computer.
Security
With the addition of your hardware (such as an Apple Watch) and the use of biometrics, the combination of having your hardware and using biometrics is more secure than a conventional password alone and than flawed two-factor authentications like SMS codes.
“We need to move towards passwordless authentication,”
Ali Sarraf, a Chrome product manager, in a blog post
“Passkeys are a significantly safer replacement for passwords and other authentication factors. They cannot be reused, don’t leak in server breaches, and protect users from fishing attacks.”
So far, passkeys remain uncommon in the real world, but websites and applications have started supporting them. For example, PayPal has recently enabled passkeys for its online payments service.
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