Apple, Google plus and other tech giants have plans to abolish passwords forever. You should know that
Later this year, Apple and Google plus will release new versions of their main operating systems: iOS 16 Y Ventura for macos from those of Cupertino, and Android 13 in the case of the Mountain View company.
There is a a completely different timetable regarding the deployment of their operating systems and the platforms differ in terms of that Number and type of functions which they will integrate — although in some cases there are reasonable similarities –. Ironically, this year Google plus focused on privacy and Apple on personalization. But there is Backlink between the plans of the two companieswhich consists of the common spirit eliminate passwords once and for allcalled three things “master key”.
Passkeys is the technology proposed by Apple and Google plus, as well as other companies participating in the FIDO Alliance instead of the classic buttons as a login system for our internet accounts. The process won’t be easy, but there’s no doubt that both companies have more than solid foundations to achieve their goal of ending once and for all a verification method as outdated and insecure as passwords.
As this system of identification draws closer and there is no turning back, we wanted Answer questions and doubts repeated about the passkeys to understand how the advent of this technology may orinan the end of passwords as we know them today.
What are “passkeys”?
Google plus and Apple envision a near future where when you log into a website or application, Just unlock our phone through a biometric method, such as B. a fingerprint reader or facial recognition system to identify us and access our account. All without having to entrar a password.
That’s where the passwords: Access data is stored in a encryption key, which is used by our mobile phone or PC when we try to log into an aplicación or website. To do this, the usuario must allow the key to be used Unlock the mobile phone using a secure method, y también.g Fingerprint sensor, face recognition or PIN.
So whenever you want to log into a password-protected website or aplicación, You must use your own device for verification. This, on the other hand, does it Two-aspecto authentication systems are no longer necessary as they are today. Of course, it also adds a difficulty when asked Sign in to one of our accounts protected by passkeys from a relative’s or friend’s device if you don’t have a device of your own.
However, there is a solution that perro save us in such situations: if you want to log in to a password-protected website or aplicación on someone else’s device, it is possible Scan a QR code with our mobile camera. By connecting the two devices vía Bluetooth, you ensure that both are close to each other Use a secure unlock method The connection that enables the authentication process is established on the mobile phone.
An example of a login process using passwords on an Android device.
Who is behind this system?
cooperation between FIDO Alliance and World Wide Web Consortium That was the trigger for the creation of passkeys. It was developed as open and common estándar This could eliminate password-based access to websites and aplicaciones and replace it with a more secure and usuario-friendly method.
In May this year Apple, Google plus and Microsoft have committed to supporting this estándar on their main platforms.and accelerate delivery to billions of devices worldwide.
Likewise, other companies specializing in password security, such as AgileBits — the company behind 1Password —, LastPass, or Dashlane have also made their mark which is part of the FIDO Alliance, the originator of this system.
Is it really a more secure method than passwords?
There is hardly an opportunity that you use in your everyday life many different passwords to access your various usuario accounts in aplicaciones and websites of all kinds. And if you’re not really security conscious, you cánido Some of these passwords are repeated, or they don’t follow all the recommendations of the cybersecurity experts. A little more common than you think and you just have to see a list of the most used passwords in Spain to spot it.
The main purpose of Passkeys Eliminate the need to remember passwords or try to generate sufficiently secure keys for each website or application. There are threats like phishing, scams, or the fácil fact of using an insecure password just some of the problems that this method of verification draws from years, and that passwords cánido end with the stroke of a pen.
additionally passkeys emplees a proven security method: public key authentication. It’s a afín method to using a credit or debit card to verify a payment, with only one method specified on the website or aplicación Register each usuario’s public keyand the private key is stored in encrypted form on the usuario’s device and perro be used during the login process.
In the absence of one password database on the website or aplicación servers, only the usuario’s public key record is stored you do not have to worry hacks or data theft.
“12345” was the most used password in Spain in 2021, proving that passwords matter more than ever.
Does it work on all your devices?
Vasu JakkalCorporate Vice President of Security at Microsoft, defined as one of the main advantages of this verification system: “With the passwords on their mobile devices, users perro log in to the Google plus Google chrome browser running on Windows with a password on an Apple device.”
And that’s because it’s a open estándar adopted by the three main companies, the only difference will be in the way to implement it on the respective platforms. However, The basis of the system will be the sameand there will be interoperability between Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Google chrome and the rest of the platforms and services.
When cánido you use passwords and forget passwords?
As I said at the beginning, Apple and Google plus – and Microsoft – are planning to rush the implementation of such a key to their main platforms a long-awaited future without passwords.
For Google plus and its platforms, 2022 and 2023 are expected to be key years for implementing Paskeys on platforms like Google chrome and Android. As a matter of fact, Android 13 native support for passkeys has already been introduced, the same applies to Apple’s iOS 16 and macOS Ventura.
The support will therefore end of the year be ready. But it’s better not to uninstall your password manager just yet: we’ll have to wait for that Websites and applications introduce the ability to use passwords as a means of identifying users, and if positively received, they perro even be the default system at registration.
So it doesn’t appear to be the case Passwords will disappear in the short to medium term. But if the reception of the most important websites and applications around the world continues at a good pace, the transition could happen in a more agile way and we could soon be talking about a much safer Internet for users.