What are Apple passkeys and how will you replace passwords?

(Pocket-lint) – While discussing Safari browser updates at WWDC in June 2022, Apple announced a new security feature – or credentials – called Passkeys, which is intended to work across platforms. Apple said it is working with developers, the FIDO Alliance, and industry partners like Microsoft and Google to create a passwordless future — and passkeys are key to that vision. Here’s everything you need to know about new credentials, including how they can replace passwords for good.

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What are Apple passkeys and how can they replace passwords?

During its WWDC 2022 keynote, Apple said it “helped create next-generation credentials that are more secure, easier to use, and intended to replace passwords.”

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Access keys are a type of credential that uses “cryptographic techniques”. Essentially, it takes advantage of the biometric features built into your Apple devices — like Touch ID or Face ID — to keep your online accounts secure. In a demo, Apple showed how you can quickly create and use Touch ID or Face ID on your Apple device. When you use an Apple Passkeys-compatible app or website, you’ll be able to create an account and sign in to these services using just your fingerprint or face. All you have to do is authenticate and you’re done.

During the passwordless technology demonstration, Apple demonstrated how passwords are backed up in iCloud Keychain and work on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV with end-to-end encryption. You can even sign in to websites and apps on non-Apple devices using your iPhone or iPad. You need to scan a QR code and use Touch ID or Face ID to authenticate.

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How do Apple passkeys work and are they really secure?

Apple said that when users create a passkey, it creates a unique numeric key that works only for the website for which it was created. Access keys are based on the Web Authentication API (WebAuthn).

It is a standard that uses public key cryptography instead of passwords to authenticate websites and applications. It is stored on the device and not on the web server. It is also a password alternative that uses Touch ID or Face ID for biometric verification. So instead of entering a long password, you will be asked to authenticate via Touch ID or Face ID.

As a result, the company said that the passkey cannot be phishing, as the passkey never leaves their Apple devices. Hackers also can’t trick you into sharing a passkey on a fake website, and they can’t be leaked, because nothing is kept on the web server. Passwords work across apps and are securely synced across Apple devices using iCloud Keychain.

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What devices will support Apple Passkeys – is it only Apple?

You can use passwords to sign in to apps and websites from your Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and even non-Apple devices.

Remember that in May 2022, Google and Microsoft announced that they had teamed up with Apple to expand support for passwordless logins across mobile, desktop, and browser devices. The three companies said they intend to support the new passwordless authentication standard – set up by FIDO and the World Wide Web Consortium – over the next year.

When will Apple Passkeys be available to start using?

Passwords were announced during a Safari beta as part of the announcement of macOS Ventura, a major update to the operating system coming to the Mac. Passkeys will also be available on iOS 16 and iPadOS 16. All of these software updates received beta versions this summer, and the final versions for consumers will likely come this fall. The next Apple event is set for September 7, 2022, so passkeys could be released in mid-September.

Written by Maggie Tillman.

Source – www.pocket-lint.com