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Approximately 400 million Google accounts have utilized the technology to log in since the introduction of passkeys in May 2022, accounting for just under 17 percent of all Google accounts. According to the tech giant, the password alternative has been used more than a billion times.
Google's post in honor of World Password Day this weekend highlights that the password alternative is now being used more frequently every day for Google accounts compared to one-time passwords via SMS and authentication apps. Additionally, the company mentions several major companies that have begun to support passkeys in the past twelve months, including Amazon, 1Password, eBay, WhatsApp, and Uber.
Passkeys represent a relatively new method for logging into accounts. The concept relies on public key cryptography, where two keys are created: a public key and a private key. The public key is shared with the platform the account is associated with, while the private key is linked to a specific device. In order to log into an account, these two unique keys must be paired, ensuring that even if the public key is compromised (e.g. through a data breach or cyber attack), a malicious hacker would not have enough information to access the account. By linking the private key to a biometric login, security is further enhanced. Last year, Tweakers published an article delving into the background of the passkey principle.
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