In many ways, the internet has shrunk the world. It's easy to keep in touch with friends and family across the globe and information about almost anything is right at our fingertips. But our reliance on gadgets and the internet has also created many easy avenues for hackers and scammers, and traditional security measures like passwords may no longer be enough. Indeed, tech companies are shifting focus from passwords to so-called passkeys, which many security experts say offer greater security and convenience.
Over and over, hackers have breached servers or broken into databases to steal passwords. Even if databases are kept secure, criminals can use social engineering, including phishing attacks, to gain access to passwords. Meanwhile, simply remembering passwords is a chore, so many people use weak passwords, like qwerty123. Folks often use the same password for many sites, so once the password is exposed, hackers can log into multiple platforms and quickly cause widespread damage.
Passkeys, on the other hand, are typically tied either to devices or biometrics, if not both. This means that only your phone, laptop, or other device can use the passkey to log into a website or app. Even if a hacker somehow got the passkey, they likely won't be able to use it without the devices. Biometrics, meanwhile, are tied to your physical body, and despite what spy movies portray, hacking biometrics is quite difficult.
In addition, passkey verification is handled locally on your device. Only public keys are stored on external servers, which makes mass sensitive data breaches more difficult to carry out. So, if you're sick of managing passwords (we all are), switching to passkeys may offer an easy way to increase both convenience and security. Google, Apple, Microsoft, and many other tech companies already offer passkeys, so don't be surprised if they become the industry standard for login security.
