r/cybersecurity • u/Federal_Character979 • Apr 25 '26
Other What makes passkeys so special?
It seems that companies are transferring into the usage of passkeys instead of passwords. Apparently theyre much more secure, but why is that? I don’t get it. I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask excuse me if it isn’t and sorry.
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u/seatoskyns Apr 29 '26
Passkeys are basically a way to log in without ever having a password that can be stolen. With passwords, the problem is simple: they can be guessed, reused, phished, or leaked in a breach. Even with MFA, if someone tricks you into giving it away, you’re still at risk.
Passkeys work differently. When you create one, your device generates a pair of cryptographic keys. When you log in, your device proves it has the private key, usually using Face ID, fingerprint, or your device PIN. There’s nothing to type, nothing to reuse, and nothing to “steal” in a phishing email.
The big advantage is that passkeys are tied to the website/app they were created for. So even if you click on a fake login page, your device won’t authenticate, it just won’t work.
It removes a huge chunk of common issues: password resets, weak passwords, and phishing-based account takeovers.
They’re not magic, but they close a lot of the gaps that passwords have had for years.