We’ve known for a long time that passwords have their flaws. Whether it’s phishing, brute force, or dictionary attacks, password-based authentication remains one of the weakest links in cybersecurity. In fact, Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report shows that 88% of breaches involved the use of stolen credentials.
That’s why more and more organizations are exploring passwordless authentication, with passkeys emerging as one of the top contenders to replace traditional passwords entirely.
The FIDO Alliance, a key player in developing passwordless standards, reports that 54% of users consider passkeys more convenient than passwords, and 53% believe they’re more secure.
But what exactly are passkeys? And are they really as secure as the hype suggests? Let’s find out.
What are passkeys are how do they work?
Passkeys are a form of passwordless authentication based on public key cryptography. Instead of relying on something you remember (e.g. a password), passkeys rely on something you have. This is usually a device like a phone, laptop, or security key.
Here’s a simple breakdown of how they work:
When you create a passkey, your device generates a key pair: one public, one private.
The public key is stored by the service you’re logging into.
The private key stays securely on your device and never leaves it.
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