Bolt | Why passkeys will make traditional passwords obsolete (2024)

FAQs

Bolt | Why passkeys will make traditional passwords obsolete? ›

Passkeys also can't be stolen in data breaches since they aren't reused for different services. Contrast that with traditional passwords, which are all too easily compromised in data breaches or phishing attacks and are stored on servers.

Notably, the era of traditional passwords is coming to an end and organizations' are increasingly recognizing the need for more secure and user-friendly authentication methods. Passkeys offer a promising alternative to passwords, providing enhanced security and usability for users.

But the reality is that passwords won't disappear overnight. While there is a movement in the tech sphere to migrate away from passwords and towards more cyber-resilient technologies, passwords are still expected to remain a primary authentication technology in the coming years.

Experts recommend setting up a few passkeys whenever you come across them on your online accounts, rather than necessarily trying to change them all at once. There are guides to what websites are using passkeys already, and Google, Microsoft, and Apple all have straightforward explanations on how to create passkeys.

Since passkeys are standardized, a single implementation enables a passwordless experience across all of a users' devices, across different browsers and operating systems. Passkeys are easier: Users can select an account to sign in with. Typing the username is not required.

They are locked into the platform for reasons that are ostensibly security but often indistinguishable from platform lock-in. If you make a passkey on an Apple device as far as I can tell it will never leave that device, ever, and there is no way to change this.

If someone gets your device, they can't do anything with your passkey. And if you lose your old device containing your passkey, you can easily create a new passkey on your new device.

What happens if a user loses their device? Passkeys created on Android are backed up and synced with Android devices that are signed in to the same Google Account, in the same way as passwords are backed up to the password manager. That means user's passkeys go with them when they replace their devices.

All the big operating systems, as well as third party password managers such as Dashlane, 1Password, and Bitwarden all support passkeys.

What is the disadvantage of passkey? ›

Many websites haven't adopted passkeys, meaning traditional passwords remain necessary. Additionally, passkey compatibility is limited to modern devices with the latest operating systems. This leaves users of older devices at a disadvantage, as their technology may never be updated to support passkeys.

Amazon is one of the latest tech players to support passkeys. Here's how to set up this type of passwordless authentication for your account. Amazon has joined Google, Apple, and other major tech players in implementing passkeys, a more secure alternative to traditional passwords.

Passkeys are an easier and more secure alternative to passwords. You can use 1Password to save the passkeys you create for your accounts and sign in to websites with passkeys in your browser.

Passkeys Are Free—Security Keys Are Not

Although you'll need to start using a password manager, the free options that come with your device or web browser may support passkeys. Security keys can cost around $25 to $85 each, and you may want to purchase at least two in case one is lost or damaged.

Passkeys are a standard-based technology that, unlike passwords, are resistant to phishing, are always strong, and are designed so that there are no shared secrets.

That technology is called passkeys. Based on widely accepted industry standards, passkeys offers the tantalizing promise of eliminating the need for passwords and the risks passwords create without adding user experience friction like MFA.

While there are already 100+ popular websites that support passkey login, including Amazon and GitHub, this is still a developing technology. Passwords won't totally disappear anytime soon, but many users are already going passwordless wherever it's available.

When you set up a new device or register for a service that supports passkeys, a public key is generated and shared with that service. But like a username, that public key is worthless to a hacker without the companion piece: in this case, an encrypted private key stored on the device.

What happens if a user loses their device? Passkeys created on Android are backed up and synced with Android devices that are signed in to the same Google Account, in the same way as passwords are backed up to the password manager. That means user's passkeys go with them when they replace their devices.