The Global Technology Industry Group dedicated to eliminating dependence on internet passwords has released a set of resources that it hopes will usher in a new model for how to log into things online.
The Fast Online Identity Alliance (FIDO) – made up of technology companies, password managers, retailers, and government agencies – believes that passwords are insecure and inconvenient, pointing to the large number of users who forget passwords, reuse passwords across sites, exposing their passwords to data breaches or phishing attacks. Instead, the alliance wants everyone to use passkeys.
A passkey is a form of public key encryption that replaces user names and account passwords with random strings of data. These encryption keys are stored in an authentication device, similar to a password manager and can only be unlocked in the same way a person unlocks their phone or any other device – for example, through facial recognition, thumbprint detection, or a personal identification number. When logging into a website using a passkey, you will be prompted to unlock your device, and at this point, the authenticator sends the necessary encryption key to the website to log into your account.
Confused? On Monday, the FIDO Alliance published the Passkey Central guide, an online guide explaining how the technology works and why everyone should use it. At the same time, the organization released a draft specification for credential data exchange aimed at standardizing how organizations transfer user credential data such as passkeys between each other, allowing users to transfer their login information between devices and operating systems and password managers without compromising their security.
More than 13 billion online accounts – across platforms like Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Nintendo, PayPal, and TikTok – are currently capable of using passkeys, according to the FIDO Alliance. The group hopes that Passkey Central will raise awareness and provide all the information other companies need to implement the new system on their websites.
“Our adversaries attack nations in cyberspace using techniques banned by passkeys and related technologies. “We need to do everything we can to accelerate the adoption of passkeys, and to help ordinary people understand that passkeys protect countries, and make their online lives a little easier,” said Craig Newmark, founder of the Craig Newmark Philanthropies, which helped fund the Passkey Central project, in a statement.
