Passwords are the weakest link in most security setups: they can be guessed, reused, leaked, or phished. Passkeys are designed to fix that.

What is a passkey?

A passkey is a cryptographic credential stored on your device (phone, laptop, or security key). When you sign in, your device proves you hold the key by unlocking it with your fingerprint, face, or PIN. There’s no password to type or steal.

How it works in simple terms

– Your device creates a key pair for each site or service

– The private key stays on your device and never leaves it

– The service stores the public key

– To sign in, your device signs a challenge from the service after you unlock it

Why it’s better

– Phishing-resistant: the key only works for the genuine website, so a fake site gets nothing

– No reuse or leaks: nothing secret is stored on the server to steal

– Faster sign-in: a touch or glance instead of typing and codes

– Fewer help desk calls: no more forgotten passwords

Limits and considerations

– Support varies: many large services support passkeys, but not all business applications do

– Recovery: plan for lost or replaced devices

– Synced vs. device-bound: synced passkeys (through your platform account) are convenient; device-bound keys, like hardware security keys, give tighter control for high-risk accounts

– Shared and legacy systems may still need passwords for some time

How to start in your business

1. Turn on MFA everywhere if you haven’t already

2. Enable passkeys or Windows Hello for Business for Microsoft 365 users where supported

3. Issue hardware security keys for administrators and executives

4. Use a password manager that supports passkeys

5. Plan recovery procedures

6. Keep passwords for what can’t change yet, and protect them well

The realistic outlook

Passwords will fade gradually, not overnight. Moving your most important accounts to passkeys first gives the biggest risk reduction.

DBR Soft can help you roll out passkeys and stronger sign-in across your organization. Contact us for more information.