As you probably know, people have been using passwords to secure their online accounts for decades. But unfortunately there are two very serious problems with passwords:
1 – Strong passwords that are actually effective at protecting your accounts tend to be very difficult to remember.
2 – Passwords often get compromised by hackers, rendering your accounts wide-open to anyone who somehow manages to get them.
3 – Using the same password to protect multiple accounts renders ALL of your accounts vulnerable to hackers should that password somehow become compromised. Password managers were created in order to fix this problem, but unfortunately password managers aren’t really safe either.
4 – Forgotten (0r compromised) passwords aren’t always so easy to reset, resulting in the account owners getting permanently locked out of their own accounts (looking at you, Facebook!).
These issues have been around as long as passwords themselves, but luckily we now have something that’s a lot more secure and a lot easier to use…
Passkeys are quickly becoming the new standard in login security, simultaneously replacing passwords and eliminating all the problems that go along with them.
Why are passkeys better than passwords? Let’s count the ways:
1 – With passkeys there’s nothing to remember
When you use passkeys there are no passwords to remember (and hence no passwords to forget). Simply remember the sign-in PIN that you use to sign in to your device and you’re all set.
The same simplicity applies if you choose to use biometrics (fingerprint, eye scan, etc.) instead of your device’s sign-in PIN.
2 – Passkeys are more secure than passwords
Unlike passwords, passkeys cannot be compromised because a brand new encrypted authentication code is created automatically every time you use your passkey to sign in. This all takes place behind the scenes so you don’t have to do anything at all to make it happen.
Remember all the warnings I’ve posted over the years about hackers using phishing attempts to try to trick you into giving them your passwords?
Well, after you switch from passwords to passkeys you’ll never have to worry about phishing attempts ever again.
While phishing attempts are very effective at stealing passwords, they are completely useless for stealing a passkey because a passkey isn’t a thing that can be stolen.
Signing into an account using a password requires you to enter something you know: the password. And since a password can be stolen, a successful thief can use it to sign into your account just as easily as you can.
Since passkeys create unique, encrypted authorization codes in real time – every time you sign in – there’s nothing for a hacker to steal.
3 – Passkeys make signing into multiple accounts a lot easier (and more secure)
With passkeys you can forget about having to create (and remember) separate passwords for multiple accounts.
Once you go into your accounts’ settings and create a passkey for each of your accounts you’ll never have to use (or remember) a password for any of those accounts again. Say goodbye to your dangerous password manager forever!
Most online accounts now support the use of passkeys, and more are adding support for them every day. Simply go into the Security settings for each your accounts and look for a “Create Passkey” option (the actual wording can vary slightly by account).
If you need help with setting up a passkey for any of your accounts, just let me know. I’ll be happy to help you determine if a particular service supports passkeys or not. If it does I’ll try to help you track down the instructions for setting it up.
Again, just look in the “Security” section of the account settings and you’ll likely find it right away. If not, send me an email and I’ll try to help.
Bonus tip: This handy resource can help ensure your safety and security every time you are online. (#ad)