Google has introduced Passkeys, hailed by the tech giant as the “beginning of the end” for passwords as the standard sign-in mechanism for all users.
“This means, next time you sign in to your Google Account, you’ll start seeing prompts to create and use passkeys, simplifying your future sign-ins,” Google product managers Christiaan Brand and Sriram Karra said.
“Our goal is the same as it has always been, giving you technology that is secure by default, so that you have the strongest security but without the burden.”
Passkeys are a phishing-resistant substitute for passwords that let users sign into accounts using the same biometrics, PINs, or physical security keys they use to access their devices.
Users no longer have to rely on the conventional username-password combination, which is prone to phishing, credential stuffing assaults, keylogger malware, and simple forgetfulness.
Passkeys, on the other hand, are composed of two parts: one is saved on your device and the other is left on the server of the app or website, allowing you to demonstrate that you are the rightful owner of the account.
Given that physical access to a user’s device is required, even in the case of a server breach, this also makes it nearly hard for hackers to remotely access your account.
Google has supported passkeys from the beginning. The multinational corporation first vowed to offer the password substitute in May 2022 and promised support for passkeys in Chrome and Android. Google said in May that users worldwide would soon be able to access the passwordless technology.
According to the company, since the introduction of passkeys for Google accounts, 64% of users said they found passkeys to be more user-friendly than more conventional security measures like passwords and two-step verification.
