Passkeys eliminate the need for password-based authentication Password Overboard!

Passwords are becoming a thing of the past. We look into the basic weaknesses of passwords, explain what passkeys are all about, and assess their practicality.

- Mark Zimmermann

Passwords typically suffer from one or more of the following problems: They are not complex enough, they are difficult to remember, or they are saved in a far too insecure way. Although admins are supposed to use a separate, strong password for each IT system, many don’t, and they write down their credentials somewhere they can be easily found; the classic worst case is a sticky note on the monitor. Passwords pose a challenge, not only for the user, but also for admins. For example, you can never be sure whether the password used was entered by the legitimate user or by someone else (e.g., a cybercriminal or bot).

Microsoft, Google, and Apple are now tackling the problem. Google and Apple unveiled the passkey method at their developer conferences to enable passwordless logins with cryptographic keys, making the classic password obsolete.

The Eternal Cat-and-Mouse Game