It’s no secret that no one has ever been a fan of remembering their passwords. However, the recent LastPass data breach has prompted many individuals to consider alternative password managers like 1Password. Now, to capture the market even further, 1Password will finally roll out passkey support starting June 6th, which will allow users to access websites and services without having to type in usernames and passwords.
While the announcement of passkey support is a step in the right direction towards a passwordless future, 1Password doesn’t plan to immediately grant access to replace your master password. Initially, the rollout will begin in beta, and users will need to download the 1Password beta browser extension, available for Safari, Firefox, and Chromium-based browsers. Furthermore, passkey support for mobile devices is still under development and will not be available with the current beta access.
What are Passkeys?
Developed by the FIDO authentication standards, passkeys are a form of authentication technology that generates two cryptographic keys: one public and one private, associated with the user’s account. Therefore, when a user attempts to log in to a service using passkeys, 1Password will use the public key to verify the person’s identity by matching it with the private key. This process ensures stronger security, as passkeys are resistant to phishing attempts. Additionally, since one of the key pairs is stored on the user’s device, login information remains secure even in the event of a data breach.
Moreover, the fact that 1Password does not rely on Apple’s iCloud passkey support or Google’s Password Manager makes it a better choice for users who use both iOS and Android simultaneously. Additionally, users can also securely share their passkeys with their family members.
Although companies like Google and Apple consider passkeys to be the future, the technology is still relatively new. 1Password itself maintains a list of sites and services that support passkeys, and it only has 38 entries listed. Therefore, even with more sites adopting passkeys, we still have a long way to go before we eliminate the need for passwords.