Unlock the Power of Passkeys: Enhancing Security in Enterprise Environments

Are you looking to reinforce cyber security in your enterprise? Look no further than the concept of “Passkeys for the Enterprise.” Sensitive data and confidential information is highly sort after by cyber criminals as this is where they can gain the most, either by selling the data on the dark web or by infiltrating business systems, so implementing strong authentication is essential.

Definition of passkeys for the enterprise:

Passkeys are digital credentials that employees can use to log into their organization’s systems without having to enter a password. Passkeys are based on FIDO Authentication, a global standard that is more secure and easier to use than passwords.

To use a passkey, an employee simply needs to unlock their device with their fingerprint, face scan, or PIN. This creates a strong cryptographic signature that is unique to the employee and their device. The signature is then sent to the organization’s system, which verifies it and grants the employee access.

Passkeys offer a number of benefits for enterprises, including:

• Increased security: Passkeys are more secure than passwords because they are not susceptible to phishing attacks or password leaks.
• Improved user experience: Passkeys are easier to use than passwords because employees do not have to remember or type them.
• Reduced IT costs: Passkeys can help enterprises to reduce IT costs by reducing the number of password reset requests.

Synced passkeys

Synced passkeys are a type of passkey that is stored in the cloud. This allows employees to access their passkeys from any device, even if they have lost or forgotten their primary device.

Synced passkeys also offer a number of benefits for enterprises, including:

• Improved employee productivity: Employees can access their work accounts from any device, without having to worry about losing their passkeys.
• Reduced IT support costs: IT does not have to help employees to reset their passkeys if they lose or forget their primary device.
• Increased security: Synced passkeys are stored in the cloud, which makes them more secure than passkeys that are stored on individual devices.

Importance and relevance of passkeys in enterprise environments:

In enterprise environments, where data breaches and unauthorised access pose huge risks, passkeys are a way to provide easy access, but secure solution for employees to authenticate. Safeguarding sensitive information and limiting access to authorised personnel only reduces the likelihood of data breaches.

Unlike passwords, passkeys are always a strong authentication method and are resistant to phishing attacks, as there are no shared secrets, such as a password, one time code that could be intercepted and re-used by an attacker.

When a user signs into an application, the user approves the sign in with the same biometric or PIN that the user has set to unlock their device.

The biometric used to open the app doesn’t leave the device, the server only knows that the biometric check was successful.

The Problem with Passwords

As we access hundreds of platforms requiring login and password information, we often choose weak or easily guessable passwords. According to our Password Breach Database, ‘Password’ has been used more than 15M times and ‘123456’ in excess of 44M times.

Password-related vulnerabilities and risks:

One of the most significant challenges enterprises face today is the vulnerability of passwords. Traditional password-based authentication has become increasingly inadequate in preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information. Cybercriminals are constantly evolving their techniques to bypass weak passwords and exploit security loopholes.

Inadequacies of traditional password-based authentication:

The human element is the weakest area as far as strong authentication is concerned. Not only do we choose weak passwords, often once we have a password we will use it across multiple platforms, which opens us and our employers to the risk of cyber-attacks.

If you do have to use passwords, try using a password generator and password vaults to ensure you keep your passwords safe and secure.

The need for stronger authentication mechanisms:

Given the inherent weaknesses of passwords, it has become crucial for enterprises to implement stronger authentication mechanisms. Passkeys for the enterprise offer a viable solution to this problem. Passkeys provide a strong and phishing resistant alternative to passwords. Using FIDO standards, the system enables users to securely sign into websites and apps across multiple devices, making it extremely difficult for hackers to gain unauthorized access.

How Passkeys differ from passwords

Passkeys differ from passwords in several ways. Firstly, passwords are usually created by users and tend to be predictable, such as using personal information or common words. Passkeys, on the other hand, are randomly generated and are not only unique to each user, but the user doesn’t even know what the passkey is. All they know is that they need to use a biometric or PIN to confirm it is them when requested.

Secondly, passwords are often reused across different systems or websites, which can pose a significant security risk. Passkeys, however, are only used for a specific system or resource, making them more secure and less prone to unauthorized access.

Advantages of Passkeys in enterprise security

There are several advantages of using passkeys in enterprise security:

• Stronger security: Passkeys are more secure than traditional passwords because they are not stored on a server or device. Instead, they are generated and stored locally on the user’s device and are only used for the specific app or website that they have been created for. This makes it much more difficult for hackers to steal credentials.
• Easier to use: Passkeys are easier to use than traditional passwords because they do not require users to remember long, complex strings of characters. Instead, users can simply authenticate with their fingerprint or Face ID. This makes it much more likely that users will actually use passkeys, which can improve security overall.
• Cross-platform compatibility: Passkeys are cross-platform compatible, which means that they can be used on many devices, regardless of the operating system. This makes it easy for users to sign into websites and apps on their computers, phones, and tablets.
• Support for legacy devices: Passkeys are supported on a number of operating systems and devices which are readily available. In other words, you may be able to start using passkeys on devices your already have.  (Check with providers for current availability.)

Overall, passkeys offer several advantages over traditional passwords that make them a good choice for enterprise use. They are stronger, easier to use, cross-platform compatible, and support legacy devices. If you are looking for a more secure and convenient way to authenticate users in your enterprise, then passkeys are a good option to consider.

View our joint webinar with Yubico on Enterprise Attestation and do I need it? to find out more information regarding how Passkeys can work for Enterprises.