What is a passkey?

Passkeys are compatible with a wide and growing range of systems and devices. Microsoft, Google, and Apple have already begun to integrate passkeys into their products and services. That means you can use passkeys to secure your accounts on a variety of devices, including:

• Windows devices.
  
  
• iOS 16+ iPhones and iPads.
  
  
• macOS 13+ computers.
  
  
• Android devices.

In addition to being compatible with these systems and devices, passkeys can also be integrated into existing security infrastructure. This means organizations can adopt passkeys without making major changes to their existing security systems.

• Facilitate passkey creation so that employees can easily generate and start using passkeys.
  
  
• Ensure all passkeys are discoverable so that employees can easily find their source. Clearly indicate the original source of each passkey.
  
  
• Encourage the use of passkeys across multiple devices to create redundancy and avoid manual resets.
  
  
• If an employee signs in using a fallback method like a password, consider prompting them to create a new passkey.

Passkeys rely on a technology called public key cryptography that has long been used to authenticate websites. Public key cryptography works through a pair of keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. This allows for secure communication and authentication between systems without the need for the exchange of a secret key beforehand. Passkeys authenticate personal accounts with the same public key cryptology used to authenticate websites. They confirm that a user’s device has the passkey needed to sign in to an account, and biometrics or a device PIN confirm that the device is in the user’s possession.

While many organizations are transitioning from traditional passwords to passkeys to improve their security, there are some obstacles and concerns around implementing passkeys.
Here are a few common obstacles and potential solutions to adopting passkeys:

Obstacle: Employees may be resistant to change, especially if they are accustomed to traditional password-based authentication methods. They may not fully understand the benefits of passkeys or how to use them effectively, leading to low adoption rates.
Solution: Provide comprehensive education and training programs to help employees understand the benefits of passkeys and how to use them securely.

Obstacle: Passkey systems may not be compatible with all devices, platforms, or applications, leading to interoperability issues.
Solution: Work with device manufacturers and software developers to ensure passkey systems are compatible with a wide range of devices, platforms, and applications.

Obstacle: Employees may have concerns about the security of passkey systems, particularly regarding the protection of their biometric data or the integrity of their passkey storage.
Solution: Implement robust security measures, such as encryption, multifactor authentication, and secure storage practices, to address your employee’s security concerns and protect their data.

While there are challenges in implementing any new technology, the strengthened security posture, convenience, and user-friendly authentication offered by passkeys makes overcoming these and other obstacles to their implementation well worth the effort.