The Android version of WhatsApp will soon offer password-free access thanks to passkey support. — Photography Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP
The arrival of passkeys on WhatsApp is sure to help promote the uptake of this technology, which enables users to log on to an online service without having to enter a password. It is based on authentication through recognition of the user's face or fingerprint, and is due to roll out shortly on the Android version of the messaging application.
Passkeys take the form of unique digital keys, automatically generated and stored on your smartphone. They are activated automatically by biometrics, without the need to remember any kind of code or password. All the user has to do is identify themselves using their phone's fingerprint reader or facial recognition system. The idea is that these passkeys could eventually replace all our passwords.
For the moment, this is far from being the case. While Google and Apple have already adopted this system for their major online services, few third-party applications have yet embraced the technology, with the notable exceptions of 1Password and Dashlane. However, this will soon be the case for one of the world's most popular applications, WhatsApp, starting with its Android version.
This technology will be progressively rolled out worldwide via an upcoming application update. Users will then be able to log on easily and securely with passkeys, unlocking the application via their facial features, fingerprint or PIN code. This system also makes it possible to dispense with two-factor authentication via SMS.
The roll-out of passkeys is aimed to help boost security. Passwords can be easily hacked, whereas here, the data is unique, generated and stored locally on the smartphone and never shared online. – AFP Relaxnews
