Passwords, a secret string of characters that allows access to a computer system or service, are set to retire gracefully with the introduction of passkeys, after years of valiant service to humanity. Passkeys, the latest biometric authentication standard aimed at replacing passwords, is now available on desktop and Android versions of Google Chrome.
Google added the passkey support to the most recent version of Chrome, 108, which will be available on Android, macOS, and Windows. Users of Galaxy smartphones and Galaxy Books may be able to sign into the websites using the same method they use to unlock their devices. Chrome passkeys on Android will be synced with Google Password Manager or other password managers that support them.
According to a Chromium blog post, Google reaffirmed the widely held belief in tech circles that passwords are vulnerable to data leaks, phishing attacks, and heavy reuse of simple passwords in favor of storing strong generated passwords in a password manager.
It goes on to say that Passkeys will not only provide security and convenience but will also make managing online accounts easier for users. Passkey managers allow users to manage multiple passkeys for various accounts. Passkey support was also added by Apple and Microsoft in their efforts to develop a passwordless sign-in standard.
The sources for this piece include an article in ReviewGeek.