Security benefits with using passkey

ryder_hook

Hi all,
I have a general question to passkey and did not found an answer. Perhaps I'm right here.
I already enabled one account using passkey. I also understand the general functionality of passkey using keys instead of passwords.
But, what I do not understand is how to use passkey if use the account in special apps or device. E. g. I have an Google account which I use in a YouTube app and on an Amazon Fire TV stick. So I did not understand how to configure the Amazon Fire TV stick using passkeys! Of course I can configure my account to use password as well. But where is than the security benefit when I have still the password enabled?

Please let me know if I have misunderstood or overseen anything.

I appreciate your feedback.

Wishes
ryder

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Dave_1P

Hello @ryder_hook! 👋

Thank you for the questions! Passkeys are a modern alternative to passwords – they enable people to log in to their online accounts without having to enter a password. Passkeys are based on a public-private key pair – one key is public and connected to the website or app you’re using, the other key is private and stored on your device. Passkeys can't be phished like traditional passwords because the underlying private key never leaves 1Password – this also makes them resistant to social engineering scams.

Passkeys are more secure than passwords, and 1Password aims to make them just as easy to use.

But, what I do not understand is how to use passkey if use the account in special apps or device. E. g. I have an Google account which I use in a YouTube app and on an Amazon Fire TV stick. So I did not understand how to configure the Amazon Fire TV stick using passkeys!

Passkeys hold a lot of promise for use cases like this. Instead of having to type in a password using the Fire TV stick's limited interface, you'll be able to scan a QR code using your phone and then sign in with the passkey to the Fire TV stick from your phone.

I'm not a Fire TV stick user myself and it's possible that this functionality has not yet been built by Amazon or Google for their apps on the Fire TV stick. Passkeys are still in early days and they'll only become more ubiquitous as time goes on.

-Dave

nimvio

@ryder_hook, Passkeys are great, but make sure your devices have great passcodes. If someone can see your passcode over your shoulder (& then steal your device), it can make the security of passkeys irrelevant — including if you can disable passwords on your accounts.

For example, all you need to be able to reset your Apple ID password (& gain access to everything) is just your device passcode. Kinda scary! Now, of course using 1Password as a middle-man can reduce the odds of getting access to the data stored within it, but everything else is on the line.

Dave_1P

@nimvio

Thanks for adding your voice to the discussion. 1Password will always require either your face/fingerprint or your account password to unlock the app and use passkeys saved in 1Password unless you have specifically chosen to allow your device passkey to unlock 1Password: Use your device passcode, PIN, or pattern to unlock 1Password

-Dave

nimvio

Thank you @Dave_1P . I should’ve made it clear that I was referring to everything outside of 1Password (for the most part), and only the Apple ID/account & devices. Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t offer a full scale solution yet to disable account & device changes without a way to get around it (which can be circumvented by simply knowing someone’s iPhone passcode — Screen Time included —using a method like “Forgot password”). I apologize if I said something that might accidentally mislead any users.

* = One exception might be adding security keys to your Apple account, but that might be too much for some.

ryder_hook

Thanks @Dave_1P , for the explanation. But I want to come back for one part on my post. I think this is a key aspect. I can imagine that most of my accounts are used for several devices. And when these device are in lack of supporting passkey, I still have to maintain a password option. So, in short, there is a long way to go.

Dave_1P

@nimvio

No apologies necessary, I was just adding more context. 🙂

@ryder_hook

Passkeys will only become more intuitive and more available as time goes on. We're at an exciting new beginning for security and convenience when it comes to authentication on the internet.

-Dave