Google has announced the addition of “passkeys” as an alternative to traditional passwords for logging into its services. The tech giant claims that passkeys are a safer option than passwords and are specific to particular websites, making them harder to steal and use across multiple sites.
With the increasing number of data breaches and cyberattacks, passkeys offer a more secure way of accessing online accounts.
How Passkeys Work
Passkeys are verified on trusted devices such as phones, computers, or physical security dongles. Users need to enable passkeys for their Google account and create passkeys on their devices.
To use passkeys, users only need to enter their email address and verify their identity using a PIN, biometrics, or physical security dongle. Passkeys can be used instead of passwords on any device that supports the FIDO2 standard, which is a set of specifications for strong authentication.
Advantages of Passkeys
One of the main advantages of passkeys is that they are specific to a particular website or service, making them harder to steal and use across multiple sites. Traditional passwords are often reused across different accounts, which makes them vulnerable to hackers who can use the same password to access multiple services.
Passkeys are also verified on trusted devices, which adds an extra layer of security to the login process. This means that even if someone knows the passkey, they won’t be able to access the account unless they have physical access to the trusted device.
Passkeys vs. Passwords
Google is not getting rid of passwords altogether, but it is promoting passkeys as a more secure and convenient alternative. Passwords can still be used, but with the use of passkeys, they may become unnecessary. Passkeys offer a simpler and faster login process, eliminating the need to remember complex passwords. They also reduce the risk of phishing attacks, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated and hard to detect.
Google is not the first company to introduce passkeys. Microsoft and Apple have also implemented passkey-based authentication for their services. However, Google’s move is significant as it has the largest user base among all online service providers. The adoption of passkeys by Google could potentially lead to their widespread use across the internet.
So, Google’s introduction of passkeys as an alternative to passwords is a significant step towards improving online security. Passkeys offer a more secure and convenient way of logging into online accounts, reducing the risk of data breaches and cyberattacks. While passwords are still available, passkeys offer a better alternative and could potentially replace them in the future. With the increasing need for online security, passkeys are a welcome addition to the world of online authentication.
