What are passkeys and how do they work?
Blog post from Clerk
Passkeys represent a significant advancement towards a passwordless future by enabling users to sign in using their devices or biometric data, offering both convenience and security through public-key cryptography. These cryptographically generated keys, stored on devices like smartphones or hardware tokens, consist of a public key sent to the service and a private key kept securely on the device, ensuring a secure login process without manually entering information. Passkeys surpass traditional username and password methods by providing built-in multifactor authentication, eliminating the risk of password reuse and phishing attacks, and enhancing credential strength against brute-force attempts. Their integration into services, such as those supported by Clerk, allows users to easily adopt this secure authentication method, marking a shift towards more streamlined and safer digital experiences.