1Password is going passwordless with ‘Passkeys’

After the whole LastPass fiasco, many users are wary of entrusting their sensitive information to online password managers. But the era of password-protected vaults may soon be a thing of the past, as leading tech companies, including 1Password, are pushing for a new form of authentication technology that is more secure than passwords called passkeys. The company recently announced plans to support passkeys in the summer of 2023, allowing users to log in to accounts without using a master password.

This move follows the acquisition of ID authentication start-up Passage and the company’s announcement last year that users would soon be able to log in to apps and websites through its platform using passkeys. While 1Password already supports biometric authentication, CPO Steve Won believes that “For passkeys to be the way forward, it’s not enough for them to replace some of your passwords. They have to be able to replace all passwords – including the one you use to unlock 1Password.”

What are Passkeys?

Developed by the FIDO alliance, Passkeys, rather than relying on traditional passwords, which can be vulnerable to theft or compromise, uses public key cryptography and unique digital keys stored on your device to allow users to log in using their device’s authentication, such as a fingerprint or face ID scan. This eliminates the risk of phishing attempts, as malicious actors would not have access to the site-stored counterpart to the device-stored keys.

The company’s shift towards passkeys follows in the footsteps of other companies, such as Dashlane, which has already incorporated this technology into its service. Further, Google has also released the Credential Manager API to make it easier for app developers to support multiple login methods, including passwords and passkeys.

1Password will roll out the passkeys feature later this summer, but according to CPO Won, “The migration to passwordless won’t happen overnight, so we’re going to make it optional to start when we hit this summer. We have to meet people where they are. However, our goal is to go passkey-only as soon as possible.”