Passkeys are set to take over from traditional passwords to give us a safer, more secure way of logging into our online accounts.

That will be a significant step forward for online security, and it’s gathering pace quickly with more and more big names adopting the technology. So how long will it be before we finally wave goodbye to the password?

The FIDO alliance has long supported this new tech – an organization of big tech companies, including Apple, Google, and Microsoft – hoping it could eventually kill off passwords completely.

These megabrands are already rolling out passkeys on some of their applications. Some of the big names in password management software are also getting in on the act, which is likely to speed things up even further.

Passkeys work by creating and storing credentials on your phone, which only you can access. These are called private keys, which are authenticated by the biometrics you use to log in to that device – your fingerprint or your phone’s facial recognition system.

When you log into an account, the site will create a public key that requests your private key. Your matching passkey gives you access to your account, just like a password.

Password managers let you create and store complex passwords, meaning you always have a strong, unique and unguessable password for every site. The adoption of passkeys by many traditional password managers is likely to accelerate the move.

We’ve spent years implementing solid passwords. Will we miss them when they’re gone? Probably not…

Any move towards more robust security is always welcome and we don’t think it will be too long before most online accounts use passkeys.

Get in touch if you’d like any help to keep your business secure in 2023.