Vocal passwords have been around for centuries. The use of passwords is so popular that they have made their way into the digital world through text-based passwords. Tech innovators have been looking for a while to find something other than passwords that will protect online accounts. It's not that passwords themselves aren't safe, for many of you it's inconvenient even with technology such as 2-factor authentication and password managers. Companies like Microsoft, Google, and Apple are increasingly turning to 'passkeys' which they hope people will use instead of passwords. Here's what you need to know.
What is a passkey? Passkeys are a login process that removes the need for passwords. Believe it or not, you've already used a passkey in the form of biometric authentication such as facial recognition, your fingerprint, using a swipe pattern to log into your phone. passkeys are different that passwords are they are tied to your device which means criminals can never get access to them. ach passkey is also unique and created using a strong encryption algorithm. The user doesn't have to worry about weak passwords that can be easily guessed.
How are they more secure? For starters, you have to remember a password, which is impossible in our digital world. Next, people can be tricked into giving out their passwords by bad actors in phishing scams. Finally, passkeys are more secure because your passkey information can't be leaked in a large-scale data breach like passwords.
Passwords are also vulnerable to cyber-attacks and data breaches. Bad actors can use phishing scams to trick people into sharing passwords on fraudulent websites. Passkeys cannot be stolen as easily because data is stored on a device and not a web server. Passkeys also use strong encryption to protect your devices and accounts. Passwords rely on you to create a strong password, but if you're like the average person, you're bound to use the same passwords for all of your online accounts and they are probably going to be weak and easy to guess.
What devices can use Passkey? Google, Apple, and Microsoft are offering support for passkey technology. Here's how you can enable it for your personal devices:
Apple devices.
Your passkeys are stored in the iCloud Keychain which means they are available on every device where you're signed in with your Apple ID. Passkeys are supported on iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, and newer.
Android devices.
Your Google Password Manager will store and syncs your passkeys. Passkeys from Google Password Manager are available on all Android apps, including Chrome and other browsers.
Windows Devices. Windows users can use Windows Hello to sign in with passkeys. Passkeys used on your Windows devices will be synced with your Microsoft 365 account and can be accessed wherever you're logged in.
What companies are using passkeys? There are a number of companies that are already jumping on the passkey bandwagon. Here's a list of companies that can start using passkeys:
Best Buy
Dashlane
eBay
GoDaddy
Google
Kayak
Nvidia
PayPal
Safari
WordPress
When setting up your accounts for passkeys, the process will differ between companies, but you'll probably need to look at your account settings and security and sign-in options. If you're setting up a new account with these brands, the option to use passkeys will be available.
Passkeys are still in the early stages of development for devices and websites, but it keeps your information safe and secure and it's so easy to use that I expect it to become a very common option over the next few years.
Hopefully, this post has given you the information you need to understand the difference between a passphrase and a password and how using a passphrase can keep you safe. If you need further assistance, please reach out to me with any questions you might have. I am always happy to help!
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