![]() That means you don’t have to worry about how the website is storing your private key. ![]() Your private key is never shared with the website you want to sign in to. WebAuthn offers a number of benefits over traditional passwords: And then that’s it! You’ve successfully signed in using WebAuthn technology. From your perspective, you simply select the ‘sign in’ prompt on the app or website and, if required, authenticate using biometrics. ![]() Finally, the website or app verifies the signature using your public key, which is already stored on its server.Īll of these steps happen in the background. Your chosen authenticator “signs” the challenge using your private key and sends the completed signature to the website or app. You can think of this challenge like a special bank check that will only be accepted if it’s signed with your one-of-a-kind fountain pen (i.e., your private key). The website or app will issue a “challenge” to check that your authenticator has the correct private key. Now you can sign in without entering a traditional password. When you sign in to an account using WebAuthn The public key is sent to the website or app’s server for storage, while the private key remains on your authenticator. Your chosen authenticator – which could be your PC, phone, or a hardware security key – then generates a new public and private key pair. When you create a new account with WebAuthn, your device sends a request to the website or app’s server. Signing in to an existing account that uses WebAuthn.To understand how this works in practice, we need to break down: When you create a new account using WebAuthn That means it’s also never stored on the website’s server. Unlike a traditional password, it’s not shared with the website you want to sign in to. It’s used to decrypt data that’s been encrypted with your public key. The private key, meanwhile, is kept secret and safe. In the context of WebAuthn, this means the website you want to sign in to knows and holds a copy of your public key. As the name implies, the public key can be shared publicly. You can think of them like interlocking puzzle pieces – they’re designed to go together, and can’t be used with any other public or private keys. Public and private keys are mathematically linked to one another. Unlike a traditional password, your private key is never shared with the website you want to sign in to. Instead of a traditional password, it uses public and private keys – otherwise known as public-key cryptography – to verify that you are who you say you are. If everything lines up, the website or app will trust you’re the account owner and allow you to sign in. The website or app then checks that the hashed version of the password you submitted matches the hashed version stored on its server. ![]() The password is usually run through a hashing algorithm, which turns it into scrambled gibberish that’s useless to any theoretical attacker. Right now, you likely sign in to most websites and apps with a traditional username and password. 1Password is a member of the FIDO Alliance, along with some of the largest technology companies in the world including Apple, Google, and Microsoft. The WebAuthn standard was developed by the FIDO Alliance, an open industry association that wants to reduce the world’s reliance on passwords, and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), a community that works together to develop new standards and guidelines for the web. These are built into something you already use, like your PC or phone. These are standalone devices that are easy to carry around, like a hardware security key. It’s an essential piece of software that connects those websites and apps with your chosen authenticator.Īuthenticators are available in two forms: WebAuthn, or Web Authentication, is an API that gives website developers the ability to support a passwordless login experience on their websites and in apps. This will give you a better understanding of where cybersecurity is headed, and why so many companies including 1Password are excited by the technology underpinning it. Here, we’re going to unpack the term and explain how it allows developers to offer passwordless solutions. After all, it’s not a term you hear often in casual conversation … unless you’re really into security. If you have questions about WebAuthn, you’re not alone. When implemented correctly, the specification makes it simple and secure to sign in to accounts without entering a traditional password. WebAuthn technology is pivotal to passwordless authentication.
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