What is a password? | Reliable Reviews
Here’s everything you need to know about the passkey, including how it might affect your passwords in the future.
Most people have devices such as laptops and tablets that store a huge amount of your personal information. And while it is very convenient to store all this information, it also means that we are at greater risk from hackers and scammers trying to get into our personal accounts and steal valuable information.
This is where Passkey comes in; this new technology aims to reduce our use of traditional passwords, making our accounts more secure and less susceptible to attack. Keep reading to find out exactly what a password is and why it’s so important.
What is a password?
The passkey refers to a security feature that some may be familiar with because it’s not too different from two-factor authentication, a security measure that forces users to provide two different means of verification (usually on mobile) to make it harder for hackers to get into their accounts.
The passkey is also known as the multi-device FIDO credential. Using this process, a notification will be sent to the user’s smartphone upon entering the site, allowing them to authenticate their identity with a biometric or PIN, eliminating the need for a password.
Once a user has used their phone to log into the platform, they will remain logged into their account, meaning you don’t need the phone handy every time you want to access a new site or platform.
Password is a universal technology, so it should work regardless of OS platform or browser, making it accessible to more users. Website and app developers will need to adopt the technology before you can start using it, but Apple, Google and Microsoft have already confirmed that they will start facilitating FIDO login within the next year. Dates for companies have not yet been set.
How does the password work?
Unlike standard two-factor authentication, Passkey uses Bluetooth instead of Wi-Fi. Bluetooth is used because it requires close physical proximity to help verify that it is the user trying to log in.
This will also mean that the user’s laptop/phone will need Bluetooth to use the password. This won’t be a problem for most modern devices, but it can be difficult for those using an older desktop PC.
Once you have registered and linked with your various accounts, you will be sent a push notification to your smartphone via Bluetooth. After unlocking your phone with a PIN or biometric, your device will then generate and send a unique public key to the appropriate web service associated with your account. If there is a match, you will be logged into your account.
It’s important to note that your biometric data never leaves your smartphone, so you don’t have to worry about third-party services seeing your personal data.
Is the passkey more secure?
The password should, in theory, be more secure than passwords, since hackers would need access to your phone and the user’s pin or fingerprint to unlock it. They also need to be in close proximity to both your phone and the device they’re trying to get into since the Passkey uses Bluetooth.
Many people use the same password for multiple sites and platforms, which means that if a scammer gets your password, they will most likely be able to use it with multiple accounts. Restricting password use should solve this problem, since a scammer will not be able to guess your passwords if the user uses a fingerprint to log in.
Passkeys can also be copied by a major platform like Apple or Google, making it easy to transfer your credentials to a new device and make it easy to sync passkeys across your phone, tablet, and laptop.
Is the access key already available?
Some companies are already using Passkey; Apple has a system running on iOS 15 and macOS Monterey, but it can’t be used across multiple platforms just yet.
Some people have noticed Google password support in Play Services on Android, but the company hasn’t said when it will be ready for older devices.