We lost count of the times the password (opens in new tab) was declared dead, but with Apple’s latest release, this time it might be real. The company announced a “new way to make the web a safer place” – replacing passwords with a new feature called Passkeys.
Introducing the Security Key feature to the world at WWDC 2022, Apple’s Vice President of Internet Technologies Darin Adler described passwords as a “safer, easier-to-use next-generation credential intended to replace passwords for ever”.
Passwords use “powerful cryptographic techniques and device-embedded biometrics” to keep accounts secure, Adler explained, with users simply needing to use TouchID or FaceID to authenticate to a new web app, mobile app, or service to create a password. access key.
Password that cannot be hacked
This creates a unique digital key that only works on the site it was created for.
According to Adler, passkeys cannot be phishing (opens in new tab) as they never leave the device they were created on, and cannot be leaked or hacked, as nothing is being kept secret on any web server.
He also explained that Passkeys are designed to work with applications as easily as they do with the rest of the web. They are instantly available and securely synced across Apple devices, including Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV devices, via the iCloud Keychain service.
What’s also interesting is that Apple won’t limit this feature to just its products and services. The company has joined other industry leaders in the FIDO alliance, which includes Google and Microsoft, to ensure that the Passkeys service works seamlessly across different platforms.
“With the passkey, you’ll be able to access a non-Apple device and log into a website or app using just your iPhone,” concludes Adler. “We look forward to a passwordless future.”
Whether or not Apple’s nail turns out to be the last one in the password coffin remains to be seen, but with such a large and dedicated user base, we would give Apple a good fighting chance.
