Company
Date Published
Author
Lucas Garron
Word count
433
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

GitHub has implemented support for Web Authentication (WebAuthn), allowing users to utilize security keys for two-factor authentication across a broader range of browsers and devices, marking a significant step towards more secure and user-friendly authentication. This new standard replaces the previous U2F API and supports browsers such as Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Brave on various operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, with some options allowing devices themselves to serve as security keys. As WebAuthn continues to gain broader browser and device support, GitHub anticipates it could eventually enable biometric authentication as a primary security measure, moving away from traditional password reliance. The company is exploring ways to make authentication more accessible, including the potential use of WebAuthn as a single-factor method. GitHub encourages other web services to adopt WebAuthn by providing open-source libraries and tools, such as the @github/webauthn-json JavaScript wrapper, to facilitate its implementation.