Passkeys: Google begins new passwordless era

Last year, Google, Apple, and Microsoft jointly announced to bring a more secure login standard that eliminates the need for different passwords for multiple online accounts.

And, the universal passkey feature will be supported across all platforms. Already, Apple and Microsoft have implemented it. Google earlier year began offering Passkeys as an optional feature and now, the company has made it the default feature.

What is Passkeys?

A Passkey is a short user ID alternative for a particular online account. This is a one-time process and once done, users need not have to set up multiple passwords for different accounts.

The hassle of remembering complex alphanumeric passwords or wasting time remembering the answer to the trick questions will soon be a thing of the past.

Google has made Passkeys feature default on Android device.

Google

Whenever a user visits a website, the medium, be it a phone or a desktop, already knows who the person is and it will authenticate the User ID and password.

And, user can just log in to the account via the device’s security system such as fingerprint sensor/FaceID on phones or Windows Hello on PCs. If the device does not have any of those biometric security features, he/she just has to remember the screen pattern or the PIN code of the device’s lock screen.

“To use passkeys, you just use a fingerprint, face scan or pin to unlock your device, and they are 40% faster than passwords — and rely on a type of cryptography that makes them more secure. But while they’re a big step forward, we know that new technologies take time to catch on — so passwords may be around for a little while. That’s why people will still be given the option to use a password to sign in and may opt-out of passkeys by turning off “Skip password when possible,” said Google.

Already, YouTube, Search, and Maps, among other Google products support Passkeys. Recently, Uber and eBay came on board.

The search engine says WhatsApp will be compatible with the new-age security feature soon.

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(Published 11 October 2023, 12:37 IST)