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Exploring the Pros and Cons of Google’s Passkey-Only Accounts: A Guide for Early Adopters and Businesses
Navigating the Shift to Passkeys: What You Need to Know
As we move towards a passwordless future, Google is taking a big step by enabling passkey-only Google accounts. This is a significant development, as passkeys may someday replace passwords. However, passwordless authentication is still in its early stages and isn’t yet suitable for business use. We still need password managers like Keeper Security to keep our digital assets secure.
What Are Passkeys?
Passkeys are a new way to log into apps and websites without passwords. They use public-private key pairs for authentication, swapping them directly with a website via your operating system. Google’s demo of how this will work on a phone looks great—the usual box asks for your Google username, and then, instead of a password, it asks for a fingerprint. Once scanned, the passkey system unlocks, and you’re logged in.
Passkeys: Not Ready for Widespread Adoption
While Google is going all-in on passkeys, they aren’t ready for widespread adoption just yet. Some platforms aren’t as far along as others, which means it could be frustrating to access your passkey Google account on a platform that isn’t ready. Passkeys also sync through your operating system ecosystem, not via a browser, which presents a major regression compared to how passwords work. Today, passwords added to Chrome on Windows will instantly be available on any device that has Chrome, like Android phones, MacBooks, iPhones, Chromebooks, etc. Unfortunately, passkeys don’t work like that, which can hinder their adoption.
1Password highlights this syncing issue, noting that passkeys on other platforms require authentication through a device from the same ecosystem. Syncing with other operating systems or sharing passkeys requires tedious workarounds like QR codes, creating a more complicated and less secure experience.
The Road Ahead for Passkeys
While passkeys hold promise for the future of passwordless authentication, there are still significant hurdles to overcome before they can be widely adopted. This is where MSPs like Svetek IT Experts come in. As MSPs, we help clients navigate emerging technologies and ensure they have the right tools to keep their digital assets secure. For now, we recommend using password managers like Keeper Security to keep your passwords secure and accessible across all your devices.