In today’s digital world, passwords are no longer enough. They’re often reused, easy to guess, or stolen in data breaches. Two-factor authentication (2FA or MFA) adds an additional layer of security but can be cumbersome for users and susceptible to phishing. That’s where passkeys come in – a modern, secure, and user-friendly way to protect your online accounts.
What Are Passkeys?
Passkeys are a passwordless login method that uses cryptographic keys stored on your device. Instead of typing a password, you log in using biometrics (like Face ID or fingerprint) or a device PIN. The system verifies your identity using a secure key that never leaves your device. You may already be using this feature when logging in to apps on your smartphone with FaceID or Fingerprint.
Why Should You Care?
For businesses, passkeys offer several key benefits:
- Stronger security: Passkeys are resistant to phishing, credential stuffing, and brute-force attacks.
- Lower IT burden: Fewer password resets mean less time spent on support.
- Faster logins: Employees and customers can sign in quickly and securely.
How to Start Using Passkeys
- Check your tools: Platforms like Google, Microsoft, Apple, and many password managers (e.g., 1Password, Dashlane) support passkeys.
- Enable passkeys: Go to your account security settings in your apps and websites and look for “Passkeys” or “Passwordless login.”
- Use your device: Once set up, you can log in using your phone, laptop, or tablet – no password needed.
- Web login prompts: You may be prompted to set up a passkey when logging into web services – after ensuring you are on the official website you can follow the prompts to set up the Passkey and allow for easier future sign-ins when using browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Safari.
Passkeys are a simple yet powerful way to boost your productivity while maintaining your business’s cybersecurity. They’re easy to use, hard to hack, and quickly becoming a new standard for online safety and convenience.
We recommend using Passkeys wherever they are supported. For services that don’t yet support Passkeys, two-factor authentication is still a critical security layer.
