In today’s digital world, it’s no secret that passwords are one of the main forms of cybersecurity, especially in cloud infrastructure. However, in recent times, they are becoming a source of frustration and insecurity for both individuals and organizations. Weak passwords and stolen passwords have led to a wide number of data breaches and identity thefts For businesses, the increasing number of data breaches and identity thefts carried out due to stolen or weak passwords have caused a lot of financial and reputational damage that could take a long time to rebuild. According to Finance Online, poor passwords cause 81% of company data breaches, and in a Verizon Data Breach report, over 70% of employees use the same passwords repeatedly at work. These practices have proved detrimental, so businesses are looking for a more secure, safe, protected, and efficient authentication method. This is where passkeys come in. Passkeys are the best security plan for companies looking for alternative solutions to the traditional password-based authentication process. They are more efficient in their authentication process, making it difficult for hackers to access your accounts. This is why many individuals and businesses are advised to switch passwords to passkeys. Continue reason to understand the benefits passkeys have over passwords.
What Are Passkeys?
Passkeys are the future of basic internet security because they are inherently more secure and resistant to phishing. They are a more secure and user-friendly alternative to passwords. Also, the passkey method of logging in to a website or service without using a password to prove your identity might be alarming but unique. Users can use passkeys to sign in to their website and apps with the use of a biometric sensor (fingerprint or facial recognition), PIN, or pattern, eliminating the need to remember and manage passwords Passkeys replace both passwords and the second factor in a single step. It is a cryptographic entity that is not visible to the user and is used instead of a password. In some ways, passkeys are similar to 2FA; however, unlike SMS or app-based one-time passwords, passkeys are standardized. They are a form of single implementation that allows for a password-free experience across browsers and operating systems and strong protection against phishing, data breaches, and identity theft attempts. Due to their secure user verification method, they are set to become a vital part of security in the coming years.
How Passkeys Work
Passkeys are built on the WebAuthn, or WebAuthentication, standard. Every passkey is strong cryptographically and unique because it is generated using an algorithm. When you use a passkey to create an account, two keys are generated: public and private keys. Both are required to access the account. The public key is not kept secret and is stored on the server, while the private key is never disclosed to the server. To sign in, the private key is required. The identity of the user is then authenticated via biometrics when logging in, and the private key validates the user to the account. No shared secret is transferred, and there is no need also to protect the public key.
What’s Wrong With Using A Password?
There is nothing wrong with using passwords, as it is one of the long-standing forms of securing accounts. However, with the ever-increasing rise and sophisticated cyber-attacker methods, using a password now seems risky. Many people use the passwords for their regular and other personal accounts for their work passwords. Many use weak passwords that are very easy to guess, while many leave or share their passwords with third parties. These mistakes could cause you, the individual, and your business various losses. This is why passkeys were developed to tighten your security while remaining user-friendly.
Why you need to Consider Switching from Passwords to Passkeys for Better Security
There are numerous reasons why you need to switch from using passwords to passkeys. These include
Passkey eliminates human errors and hacker
It goes without saying that a significant issue with passwords is that people tend to use the same or very related phrases for their passwords through multiple platforms to make it easier for them to remember. Most of the time, the passwords contain sensitive or personal information. Using simple passwords makes it easy for hackers to gain access to one’s accounts. This means that a hacker could gain entry to multiple accounts owned by a user simply by determining their password for a single website or platform. Passkeys eliminate this problem because they eliminate the possibility of human errors that could lead to security issues. Passkeys don’t require letters or words and are never reused because they are unique to each user as well as the application.
It does not require a password
Passkeys are far safer than passwords for this reason. Trying to remember multiple logins can be difficult. As a result, passkeys eliminate the need to remember and manage multiple passwords. You can sign in to your account without entering a password using a face ID, fingerprint, or PIN. This gives the user confidence, ease, and security.
Passkey is anti-phishing
Phishing is a common method used by cyber-attackers to obtain sensitive information. These attacks are frequently carried out to steal login credentials by impersonating a website or email. However, if your password is not strong and unique, hackers can quickly breach your account. With passkeys, cyber-attackers will find it challenging to trick you into entering your passkeys on a website when using passkeys. When you are on the domain associated with the passkey, your device will only show a passkey as a pop-up menu option. Therefore, it is safe to say that passkeys offer a comprehensive defense against phishing attacks.
Passkeys can’t be guessed, stolen, or cracked
Passkeys use Face ID and Touch ID rather than text-based authentication processes, which are difficult to remember and easy to steal. For passkeys, the authentication process includes biometric checks, Face IDs, and more that are unique and simple for you to use but are also very strong and difficult for hackers to bypass.
A smooth user experience
Nowadays, users have different business accounts based on their needs, and remembering these passwords has become impracticable for them. As a result, they frequently forget and reset passwords, resulting in an unpleasant user experience. In contrast, passkeys are easy to use, which improves the overall user experience. Accounts can be validated using a fingerprint, PIN, Face ID, or biometrics. That is much easier than trying to remember a complicated password.
Secure Your Data With Passkey Today!
Passkeys are a powerful and effective method of securing user data. Let Managed IT Asia help secure your data with passkeys. We offer you the best solutions to help you protect your accounts from data breaches and provide various complementary IT services for your business. Contact us to learn more.
MANAGED IT ASIA, we are an IT Support, IT Solutioning and Managed IT Service Provider specializing in serving Small Businesses across Asia. Call us at +65 6748 8776 and let us manage your Small Business IT today!