Google looks to do away with passwords, making 'passkeys' the default option | CNN Business
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/10/tech/google-passkeys-default-password/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/10/tech/google-passkeys-default-password/index.html
8 Comments
jdnewmil@lemmy.ca · 9 pts · 2y
Is anyone working on bootstrapping passkey access to fresh Linux boxen? Until that is practical, I will probably be skeptical on this. That is, I know how to compartmentalize my passwords, but I don't know how to compartmentalize Google's control over my access to things.
This is an alternate expression of the "how do I recover when I lose my phone?" question that has always so far lead back to using symmetric passwords to protect private keys... which isn't ideal but is at least practical.
Rootiest@lemm.ee · 6 pts · 2y
PassKeys work on Linux.. you just need to use a compatible browser which is most these days.
It's also a fido standard so it isn't really a Google thing, Apple started using them before Google even.
jdnewmil@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 2y
I didn't mean after you logged in... I meant as the default login option to a new Linux box. Passkeys are strong because they are asymmetric, but we currently fall back on symmetric passwords to manage access to those inconveniently-large private keys. How will you reset your Google access if your computer hard disk dies or your phone drops into the ocean if Google will no longer allow passwords? I figure that independence from big brother and fault tolerance to hardware failures would be appropriately-robust if this great new approach could work offline bootstrapping the security of a new computer.
Rootiest@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 2y
Ah ok. I misunderstood.
As to the other bit, Google hasn't disallowed passwords and I don't think we're at a point where they would.
But I mean ideally you have multiple PassKeys so if you lose one or you computer/phone dies you have a backup.
I keep a hardware key in a safe that can be used as a backup key to my accounts
Bob_Robertson_IX@discuss.tchncs.de · 1 pts · 2y
Dude, that's the first place they're going to look for it!
Rootiest@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 2y
But where is the safe huh?
See? Gottem
ViciousTangerine@lemmings.world · 4 pts · 2y
How much data will they be taking from sites that use this?
Deconceptualist@lemm.ee · 7 pts · 2y
No more than they already can through passwords. Passkeys are a generalized authentication standard, you can use it with any compatible software (not just Google products). More options are a good thing.
https://fidoalliance.org/passkeys/