With passkeys we are finally looking into a passwordless future. Here we explain to you how the new login method works and what advantages and disadvantages it offers compared to classic passwords.
Passkeys replace regular passwords when logging in. (Source: jamdesign / depositphotos.com)
- Passkeys are essentially digital keys that are intended to replace ordinary passwords when logging in.
- They are safer, faster, available on all devices and can never be forgotten.
- The disadvantage: A passkey cannot be easily passed on to other people.
People have known passwords as a concept in various forms for thousands of years. In the digital world, too, they have previously been indispensable security factors that were intended to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining unauthorized access to private data and accounts. With passkeys, a new era of logging in is about to begin.
How do passkeys work?
Passkeys (an English portmanteau of password = “password” and key = “key”) are a modern, secure and efficient replacement for ordinary passwords. At its core, this is a special encryption method that consists of a private crypto key. When you register, the service you want to register with asks for the key and sets a parallel task (so-called challenge). This can only be solved with the passkey.
If the task is solved correctly, the service only receives the result with which it can clearly determine that it is actually you – not the crypto key itself. In plain English, you can use the digital key to prove to the service that it is owns it without ever having to pass on the key itself. This is what makes the login method so secure – what remains on the device cannot be stolen via networks etc.
The process behind the whole thing is called FIDO2. The security standard has existed for several years, but was only made market-ready by Google this year. In addition to devices such as cell phones or computers, it is also possible to store the passkey on a special, physical security key.
Faster, safer and available everywhere
The advantages of passkeys are obvious: They are faster than conventional passwords because they do not have to be laboriously typed. They are also more secure because they cannot be stolen or forgotten, and they are available on all devices thanks to integration with password managers. Google wants to replace passwords with passkeys in the long term. One disadvantage: Not all services support passkeys yet, and there is not yet the option everywhere to pass a passkey on to other people, as is possible with a password.
Passkeys are currently supported by most modern smartphones, computers and browsers. To use Passkeys you specifically need Android from version 9, iOS from version 16 or Windows 11. The supported browsers are Google Chrome, Safari and Microsoft Edge, although the latest version is required. Firefox will be added with version 120.
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