We've lost count of the number of times password (opens in a new tab) has been declared dead, but with Apple's latest release, this time it might be for real. The company announced a "new way to make the web more secure": replacing passwords with a new feature called Passkeys.
Introducing the Passkey feature to the world at WWDC 2022, Apple's Vice President of Internet Technologies Darin Adler described Passkeys as a "next-generation credential that's more secure, easier to use, and aimed to permanently replace the passwords".
The access keys use "strong cryptographic techniques and on-device biometrics" to keep accounts secure, Adler explained, and users simply need to use TouchID or FaceID to authenticate to a new web app, mobile app or service to create a master key. .
Unhackable password
This then creates a unique digital key that only works on the site it was created for.
According to Adler, access keys can't be phished (opens in a new tab) because they never leave the device they were created on, and they can't be leaked or hacked because no secrets are kept on any web server.
He also explained that Passkeys were designed to work with apps as easily as they do with the rest of the web. They are instantly available and securely synced across all Apple devices, including Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV devices, through the iCloud Keychain service.
What is also interesting is that Apple will not limit this feature to just its products and services. The company has partnered with other industry leaders in the FIDO alliance, which includes both Google and Microsoft, to ensure that the Passkeys service works seamlessly across platforms.
"With the passcode, you'll be able to access a non-Apple device and sign in to a website or app using just your iPhone," Adler concludes. "We look forward to a future without a password."
Whether Apple's nail will end up being the last in the password coffin remains to be seen, but with such a large and dedicated user base, we'd give Apple a fair fighting chance.