Search giant Google has introduced passkeys, which are unique identity markers stored on a personal computer, phone or USB security devices, on its web browser Chrome, in yet another step towards a password-free future.
Passkeys allow you to forgo a password. The websites that have implemented Google's Passkey APIs will be able to authenticate you without requiring any other details.
Passwords are increasingly becoming redundant and also less effective in protecting our data. They can be phished, leaked in data breaches or even be cracked.
Passkeys, however, "cannot be reused, don't leak in server breaches, and protect users from phishing attacks”, Google said in a blog post.
On sites that support them, passkeys can be used for authentication similar to how you unlock your phone. This can be fingerprint authentication or a unique PIN that you assign.
Passkeys are now live on Google Chrome for Android, Windows 11 and macOS. Google says that passkeys "will be securely synced through Google Password Manager or, in future versions of Android, any other password manager that supports passkeys".
Once you create a passkey, you get an option to use it when you sign in to sites that support it. On a PC, you can even use a passkey stored on your phone and sign in.
Google said passkeys won't leave your device when you sign in to a service. They work by exchanging a randomly-generated secure code with the site or service that supports them.
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