Improve authentication with passkeys a new secure standard
Improve Authentication with Passkeys: A New Secure Standard
As engineers, we are continually looking for methods to simplify user experiences while ensuring top-notch security. Authentication is a critical component of this equation, and old techniques might feel cumbersome and intrusive. That's where passkeys come in: a significant authentication solution that uses biometrics and platform authenticators to create a smooth login experience without requiring user handling of passwords. In this article, we'll look into passkeys—what they are, the advantages they provide, and much more.
Pre-Requisites
Before diving into the world of passkeys, you should have a solid understanding of the following concepts:
- Understanding of authentication and authorization principles.
- Basic cryptographic knowledge.
- Curiosity to learn.
If you're new to authentication in general, take some time to review these concepts before proceeding. Trust us, it'll be worth it.
What Are Passkeys?
Passkeys are a type of passwordless authentication that utilize the WebAuthn API (Web Authentication API) to provide a secure, biometric-based login experience. By leveraging platform authenticators like Face ID, Touch ID, or Windows Hello, passkeys eliminate the need for traditional passwords, making authentication faster, safer, and more convenient.
When a passkey is produced for a user account, the device that registers for it generates two keys: a public key and a private key. The public key is provided to the service that registers the passkey, while the private key is safely retained on the device.
These keys are then used to securely access the service where the passkey is registered. When a user attempts to sign in using a passkey, the client requests a challenge from the server. The client then signs the challenge using its private key and delivers it to the server. When the server receives the signature, it uses its public key to validate it.
Sounds complicated? Don't worry, we will break it down for you later in the article along with its integration as well.
Why Choose Passkeys?
So, why should you choose passkeys for your application? There are many benefits, but here are the most compelling reasons:
Frictionless Authentication
Passkeys provide a seamless login experience, eliminating the need for remembering passwords. There is frequently an indirect link between how safe something is and how handy it is. Passkeys, however, have the advantage of being easy for users to use since they provide a highly simplified experience when logging in to a service at all times. Passkey users get the best of both worlds by combining the high security of public key crypto with the convenience of simply touching a button to sign in.
Avoid Password Reuse
With passkeys, you can say goodbye to password-related security risks, such as reusing the same password. Reusing passwords for many services is a terrible security practice. If one password is breached, any service using that password may also be compromised. Passkeys remove this risk entirely.
Eliminates Phishing
Passkeys are domain-specific, eliminating phishing as a potential attack vector. If an attacker impersonates a website, the device will flag the domain as incorrect and prevent the user from logging in.
We will now talk about passkeys' relationship with FIDO, a new standard of authentication, and how passkeys are compliant with it.
Passkeys and FIDO
We will touch on brief information about FIDO in general and a little bit about device onboarding to give context about FIDO and passkeys.
The FIDO Alliance specification, FIDO Device Onboard (FDO), is an automated enrolling mechanism for node edges and IoT devices. Device enrolling is the process of storing secrets and settings on a device so that it may safely connect with and communicate with cloud and edge management services.
Passkeys are based on the FIDO (Fast Identity Online) standard, which is a collection of authentication methods designed to increase security and usability in digital identity management. The FIDO standard employs public-key cryptography, resulting in a key pair for each user, with the private key remaining secure on the user's device and only the public key shared with the service.
Passkeys provide a method for users to authenticate using both something they own (such as their smartphone) and something they are. This strong combination delivers a user-friendly, extremely safe authentication technique that integrates easily with native biometrics like Face ID and fingerprint detectors.
Now you might be thinking, "How does this technology even work, and what is public key cryptography?" Don’t be overwhelmed, we’ve got you covered in the next section. We’ll decode this technology in the simplest way possible.
Decode Passkeys
To understand the magic behind passkeys, it's worth understanding how public-key cryptography works.
Public-key cryptography is a safe mechanism for storing, signing, and transmitting data. The private key can encrypt or decrypt data and produce signatures, whereas the public key can encrypt data or validate signatures. Both keys have to be kept safe, as anybody with the private key may sign and decode data. This technology, commonly referred to as asymmetric cryptography, secures data before transmitting it to its recipient using the private key.
Process Overview
-
User Initiates Authentication:
The authentication process starts when the user's device sends a request to the server for a challenge. -
Server Generates a Challenge:
Upon receiving the request, the server creates a cryptographic challenge and sends it back to the user's device. -
Authenticator Confirms User Intent:
Once the user's device receives the challenge, it passes it to a local authenticator (e.g., fingerprint sensor or TPM). -
Private Key Signs the Challenge:
The authenticator uses the private key—stored securely on the device—to sign the challenge. -
Server Verifies the Signature:
The signed challenge is then sent back to the server, which verifies it using the public key. -
Authentication Complete:
If the signature is valid, the server confirms the login attempt and allows access.
This process is the backbone of passkeys, providing a secure and user-friendly authentication experience that eliminates passwords and enhances security.
Enhanced Security and Reduced Risk
Passkeys rely on public-key cryptography, making them far more difficult to steal than passwords. They eliminate phishing, password reuse, and credential-stuffing attacks.
Compliance with Regulatory Requirements
Passkeys provide privacy by default, comply with GDPR and HIPAA, and can integrate biometric or device-based identity with a cryptographic key. Passkey implementations can be set to generate logs of authentication attempts, which are required for audits in regulated businesses.
Improved User Experience
Passkeys provide a seamless experience with biometrics or PINs. They simplify account recovery, reducing helpdesk workload and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Reduced Operational Costs
By reducing password-related helpdesk calls, passkeys lower operational costs. They reduce the need for OTPs or hardware tokens, streamlining operations without compromising security.
By adopting this cutting-edge technology, you offer users the convenience of passwordless login through biometrics and platform authenticators like Face ID, Touch ID, and Windows Hello. The process is more secure and removes the friction often associated with traditional authentication methods.
Key Takeaways
- Enhanced User Experience: By eliminating password management, passkeys provide a seamless login process with biometrics.
- Improved Security: Passkeys eliminate phishing risks and protect against password reuse.
- Public-Key Cryptography: Passkeys utilize public-key cryptography, ensuring secure authentication through private keys stored on the user’s device.
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