Super secure login without even needing a password. Sounds perfect right? That's what the Internet industry has also figured out. More and more companies are accepting so-called passkeys as an alternative to username and password. This may sound very technical and we get that, which is why we explain it to you in plain language. After all, we recently started offering it and are happy to help you get started activating it.
The problem with passwords
To understand why an alternative to a username and password has emerged at all, we need to understand what the problem is with this traditional method of authentication.
Many dangers lurk in the use of passwords. Both on the side of the application and the user. Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of passwords is the human tendency to reuse passwords. Therein lies a huge risk. The moment this password is leaked through, for example, a hack, carelessness or through so-called phishing attacks, malicious people will try to log into other systems with this password. In most cases, they succeed.
Now you may be thinking "but I have nothing to hide." That's a common argument but doesn't hold water. For example, if you use a leaked password for your email, there is a chance that the malicious person could take over all your accounts by utilizing the password reset feature that most online services offer. That could even result in losing your online account with your bank. They might also access your social media where very private conversations may be stored.
This risk can largely be overcome by using unique passwords for each website. Using two-factor authentication (2FA) can also contribute significantly to your online security. Unfortunately, both solutions are not always user-friendly.
Therefore, several years ago, large tech companies in partnership with various non-profits began developing technologies that make the use of passwords obsolete. WebAuthn was born.