Passkeys - Eliminate passwords for web authentication and applications

Passkeys is a welcome solution for everyone who has the stress to remember passwords on websites, online stores and applications. The new Security and Confidentiality feature of Apple for iPhone, iPad and Mac.

With the presentation of new operating systems Ventura macOS, iOS 16, Ipados 16 and watchOS 9, Apple also presented a new Securities system, Passkeys, for Authentication on the website-uri, applications and on the devicesecure.

The Security of Apple devices-pine and biometric data

Before we talk about the future, let's look a little at the past and at the present, observing the steps taken by Apple in the field of security.

Touch ID - fingerprint reader

In September 2013, Apple had the first iPhone capable of reading with great accuracy biometric data of the user. It's about introducing Touch ID on the iPhone 5s. That "home" button of the iPhone that allows us to unlock the iPhone with the fingerprint, instead of the PIN or the unlock password.

Touch ID It has been integrated in many applications that involve accessing personal accounts or in bank applications. Fingerprint being required for authentication in the application and to allow the transfer of money to other accounts.

A few years later Touch ID appeared on MacBook models, being used for authentication on sites and applications. Closely tied with Keychain Access, the credentials are automatically introduced after biometric authentication.

After the release of Apple Pay In 2014, Touch ID became validator for contactless payments. All the user has to do, is to access the electronic wallet (Wallet), to select the bank card used for payment, then put your finger on the Touch ID reader.

Do id - facial identification

Face ID was launched by Apple in November 2017, being the top feature a iPhone X. Facial identification technology is a high accuracy biometric authentication measure. Face ID is the Touch ID replacement on all iPhone models without a "Home" button and iPad Pro, iPad Air (new generations).

When we want to authenticate ourselves in an application on your mobile phone or we want to make a contactless payment with Apple Pay, Face ID is necessary to validate identity. The same is true for unlocking iPhone or iPad or for completing passwords in safari. Face ID also replaces the device's unlock code. PIN or iPhone unlock password is required once, after we start the device.

Both Face ID and Touch ID are biometric authentication methods that bring in website or credential application (user and password) previously entered. Specifically, when we authenticate on a website or on an online store in Safari, user and password must be stored in Keychain Access, to be brought to the logging fields after biometric authentication. Keychain Access it is the credential manager Apple available on Mac, iPhone and iPad (limited on mobile devices).

Passkeys - security and confidentiality without passwords

Apple is about to do An IMENS PAS As for authentication systems. Passkeys involves eliminating passwords And replacing them with the device of unlocking device, plus biometric authentication.

For users this means great relief. Will not be needed anymore Let's remember the passwords When we want to authenticate ourselves on a site or in an application that involves an account. Moreover, no token applications (verification codes) will no longer be needed for Authentication with factors factors. As are Google Authenticator or 2Fa Authenticator.

Passkeys will use public keys credentials (public key credentials) din iCloud Keychain, following the biometric authentication with Face ID or Touch ID. After the identity is confirmed, Passkeys will generate access keys for the applications we have to authenticate.

Currently, authentication on a website on iPhone or iPad is done by "something we know" (user word), "Something we have to find out" (the unique code generated by two -factors authentication applications).
In the future, with Passkeys, iPhone will become the authentication device with "something we know" (the unlock code of iPhone or iPad) and with "something we have" (biometric data that will be read with Touch ID or Face ID).

For each account created on a service, the device will generate unique public and private keys (public-private key). The service (website or application) will retain the private key (private key) and share with the public key server.

Passkeys are protected by any computer attack on the service or website we authenticate. These will not be stored on the web server on which the authentication is done in the application that uses Passkeys, but will be kept encrypted on Apple servers. It is therefore eliminated the risk that our personal data, including the names of users and passwords on a site will reach the hands of attackers. They will not find our authentication data there, even if the respective website database will be broken.

Passkeys Will End-to-end crypt all the access keys in iCloud Keychain for them to be available on all your devices.

It is important to know that once the new Passkeys feature will be implemented and the iPhone will practically become your access key to websites and applications, the password unlocking must be strong.