For decades, passwords have punctuated our digital daily life. We invent them, we forget them, we reset them, then we start again. But a new solution, the Passkeys, begins to establish themselves as the alternative that could well bury passwords for good.
Passkeys, or “access keys”, promise a simpler and above all safer connection experience. But how do they work? Why are they considered the next great cybersecurity revolution? And above all, who already uses them? Let’s dive into the universe of Passkeys to understand what is hidden behind this fashionable word.
What is a passkey?
In a world where cybersecurity is constantly evolving, traditional passwords show their limits. The multiplication of data leaks and the ease with which passwords are reused or guessed have pushed better. This is where the Passkeys come on stage.
A passkey is a cryptographic key designed to replace passwords. Where a password can be stolen, shared or forgotten, a Passkey works on a completely different principle: public and private cryptography.
How does it work, concretely?
To understand the functioning of the Passkeys, you must first enter the logic of asymmetrical cryptography. When a user creates an account with a passkey, his device generates a pair of keys: the public key, which is sent to the service server, and the private key, which remains stored locally on the device, in a secure space such as Apple Enclave secure, Windows or Samsung Knox TPM for Galaxy devices. This private key never leaves your device and remains protected by strong authentication.
This separation makes the passkey unusable for a hacker, even in the event of a data leak on the server. Impossible to guess it, share it or reuse it elsewhere. Unlike a password, there is nothing to memorize, nothing to write on a post-it, nothing to transmit by message.
At the time of connection, the online service sends a “challenge” to the user’s device. The latter uses the private key to sign this challenge, then returns signature to the server. The server, which has the public key, checks the signature. If all corresponds, access is granted. This process takes place in a few seconds, without the user having to grasp anything.
Biometric authentication (fingerprint, facial recognition) or a PIN code is used to unlock access to private key on the device. So, even if someone is getting their hands on your phone, it will not be able to use your passkeys without passing this verification step.
Passkeys can also be synchronized between your different devices via services like iCloud or Google password manager. This allows you to find its access to a new device or go from a smartphone to a computer without friction, provided you are connected to the same cloud account.
There are two main types of Passkeys, each meeting different needs. Multi-Appareils Passkeys are synchronized between all devices in the same user via a cloud account (Apple, Google, Microsoft). Ideal for personal use, they allow you to find your access to any trusted device. Passkeys linked to a device cannot be copied or transferred. This type of Passkey is privileged by companies wishing to control maximum security and avoid any potential leak.
Why are the passkeys more secure than a classic password
Passkeys safety is based on several pillars. First, no sensitive information is transmitted: the private key never leaves the device. Only the public key is stored on the server, which limits the risks in the event of hacking of the service database. Passkeys are linked to a specific area. Even if a user is trapped by a false site, the private key will not work, because it will not recognize the field. It is therefore impossible to be robbed of your identifiers via a fraudulent page.
Each passkey is unique for each service. There is therefore no risk of seeing a hacker access several accounts in the event of a leak on a site. Access to the private key requires a strong local verification, which adds an additional safety layer. Passkeys cannot be shared or copied, which eliminates frequent human errors with passwords.
In summary, where a password can be guessed, intercepted or reused, a Passkey leaves no taking to these attacks. Even if the server compromises, the private key remains out of reach.
However, remember that even if the Passkeys are designed to withstand phishing and theft of identifiers, no system is perfect. If a device is compromised by malware or stolen and unlocked, an attacker could use the Passkey. In addition, current cryptographic algorithms (RSA, ECC) could one day be vulnerable to quantum computers. Good news, however, the industry is already working on post-quantic standards, and the latest Fido2 updates incorporate quantum-resistant algorithms.
When will the passkeys replace passwords?
The transition to the Passkeys is already underway, but it will not be done overnight. Apple, Google and Microsoft have integrated Passkeys support into their operating systems and browsers. IPhone users (iOS 16+), Mac (MacOS Ventura 13+), Android (Android 9+), and Windows 10/11 can already enjoy the Passkeys. Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox (with a few limitations) are compatible.
More and more sites and applications offer the Passkey option: Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Shopify, X (ex-Twitter), Linkedin, Tiktok, Coinbase, GitHub, Dropbox, Paypal, etc. The list lengthens every month. The Fido Alliance, created in 2012, laid down the technical and organizational bases so that the Passkeys are interoperable between the various market players. Fido2 and webauthn standards, adopted in 2019, paved the way for authentication without a large -scale password.
The NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) validated synchronized passkeys, stressing their resistance to phishing and their potential to replace passwords, especially in sensitive sectors such as bank or health.
However, not all services are ready. Some sites continue to demand a password, if only as a rescue solution. Generalized adoption will also depend on the ability of users to appropriate this new method, and the will of companies to update their systems.
Concrete advantages for the user
The user experience radically changes with the Passkeys. No need to juggle complex passwords, reset them or fear being trapped by a false site. The connection becomes as simple as a biometric gesture or the entry of a code on its device.
Passkeys are not only safer, they are also much faster. According to AuthSIGNAL, Amazon users connect six times faster with a passkey, and those of Tiktok note a connection speed 17 times higher than that of passwords. Microsoft reports a 98 % connection success rate with Passkeys, against only 32 % for passwords.
Synchronization between devices, via services like iCloud or Google Password Manager, allows you to find its access even in the event of a change of phone or computer. In the event of loss of all devices, recovery solutions exist, but it is recommended to provide emergency devices to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Passkeys and the fight against identity theft: reinforced protection
More than just replacement of the password, the generalization of Passkeys marks a major step in the fight against online identity theft. Today, almost a third of digital frauds involve access to accounts thanks to stupid identifiers, whether via trapped emails, flaws or social engineering. However, the very structure of the Passkeys cuts the grass under the foot to most of these techniques.
When a hacker seizes a password, he can try it everywhere – on your mailbox, your bank account, your networks. With a passkey, this scenario collapses. It is impossible to extract the private key from your device: it remains out of reach, even in the event of a massive data leak on the server side. In addition, each Passkey is linked to a specific service: it only “works” for the site or the application with which it was created. Result: even in the event of phishing, a Passkey cannot be used on a false site which is not linked to its original field.
For companies, this translates into a drop in disputes related to account usurpation, less support costs, and more confidence on the part of users. Financial institutions and social platforms, the main targets of identity theft, also encourage their users to take the plunge today.
The challenges of adoption
Changing habits is never simple. Some users or companies may be reluctant, or encounter compatibility problems. Dependence on ecosystems like iCloud or Google Password Manager can also ask questions for those who prefer to keep their data control.
The learning phase is real: you have to understand the functioning of the Passkeys, know how to recover them in the event of a problem, and agree to no longer have a password to memorize. But these obstacles should fade over time, as technology is democratized and rescue solutions are improving.
The future of Passkeys
The future of the Passkeys promises to be innovative. In addition to fingerprints and facial recognition, which are the biometric authentication methods used today, we already imagine solutions based on brain waves, heartbeat or even DNA. Blockchain could also allow a completely digital identity under the user control, with the Passkeys as proof of universal identity.
As these technologies evolve, curiosity around Passkeys grows, pushing innovators to invest in their development and improvement.
For developers, the integration of Passkeys does not require reinventing everything. Ready -to -use solutions exist, offered by identity providers or via libraries like Simplewebauthn or Webauthn4J. Platforms like Ownid offer SDKs and APIs for quick and secure integration, whether on the web or on mobile.
This reduces maintenance costs, improving user conversion (fewer abandonments when connection), and facilitating compliance with safety standards, since sensitive identifiers are no longer stored on servers.
Passkeys are not just one more gadget: they embody a real break in the way of securing our digital lives. Simpler, safer, they could well, in a few years, relegate passwords to the rank of memory … and it is not worse. In the medium term, it is likely that the use of passkeys will become a compulsory criterion for the opening of certain services: online banks, public administrations, medical files … A decisive step towards an internet where usurp the identity of others will be only a bad memory.
If challenges remain, the dynamics started by digital giants and the growing adoption of open standards suggest a future where the tedious management of passwords will only be a distant memory. Finally, the question is no longer whether the Passkeys will impose themselves, but how they will transform our digital daily life.
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