Let’s be honest, who hasn’t reset a password at least once this month? For decades, passwords have been our central digital authentication tool, but also the root cause of countless security breaches. They’re reused, forgotten, stolen, and phished with alarming ease. Today the tide may be turning. For years, CyberHoot has advocated for the benefits of Passkeys (here, here, and here). Now, at long last, Microsoft has integrated passkeys usage directly into Windows 11, taking a large step toward a password-free future! It’s about time!
What Are Passkeys?
A passkey is a cryptographic credential that replaces traditional passwords with strong, phishing-resistant authentication. A passkey is the equivalent of multi-factor (aka: two-factor) authentication, delivered in most cases, in a single action.
Instead of something you know, you use something you have (your device) and something you are (a fingerprint, face, or PIN).
Each passkey has two parts:
- A private key, stored securely on your device and never shared.
- A public key, stored by the service you’re logging into.
When you sign in, your device uses the private key to verify your identity, without ever transmitting a password. There’s nothing attackers can steal and reuse. That’s a powerful upgrade on passwords!
Why This Matters
Nick Hahaj, Founder & CEO of QuantaSi, explains in his LinkedIn article titled “Passkeys Will Be Better Integrated in Windows” that “passwords are a pain. They are easy to forget, often reused, and a prime target for cybercriminals” [to steal].
Passkeys, by contrast, are:
- Phishing-resistant – because they only work on the one legitimate site they were created for.
- Reusable across devices – but not across domains.
- Simpler for users – eliminating the frustration of password resets, changes, and slow MFA multi-step processes.
Hahaj highlights that Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 preview builds now make passkeys easier to use and manage. Key improvements include:
- Seamless syncing with 1Password, thanks to a new partnership that allows users to store and access passkeys securely.
- An open integration framework, enabling other password managers to work natively within Windows.
- Phasing out password storage, within Microsoft Authenticator, signaling a full pivot to passkeys.
“In simple terms,” Hahaj writes, “your passkeys will work better with the tools you already use to keep your business secure.” Try setting up a passkey on your device today. I promise you, you’ll never want to go back to passwords and MFA alone.
The Broader Passkey Movement
Microsoft isn’t alone in its development or passkey support. Apple, Google, and dozens of other members of the FIDO2 Alliance have already built full support for passkeys across their ecosystems. Apple integrated passkeys into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, letting users authenticate seamlessly through Face ID or Touch ID, while Google now supports passkeys across Chrome, Android, and Workspace accounts. Major password managers like 1Password, Dashlane, and Bitwarden are rolling out FIDO2-compliant sync and backup to make passkeys usable across devices and platforms. Backed by the world’s largest technology companies and standardized through the FIDO Alliance and W3C WebAuthn framework, passkeys are rapidly becoming the new default for secure, phishing-resistant logins. They’re appearing everywhere, from banking apps to enterprise SSO portals.
Microsoft’s Official Push Toward Passwordless
According to Microsoft’s documentation, Windows users will be able to:
- Create, view, and manage passkeys directly from system settings.
- Use Windows Hello, facial recognition, or a secure PIN for login.
- Sync passkeys across devices via Microsoft Entra ID or a Microsoft account.
- Integrate with enterprise systems like Intune for centralized management.
This represents a unified ecosystem aligned with FIDO2 standards, ensuring compatibility across platforms like Windows OS, Android, iOS, macOS, and ChromeOS.
Industry Reactions
As TechRadar noted in its article “It’s About Time Microsoft Finally Rolls Out Better Passkey Integration in Windows,” this update closes the gap between Microsoft and its competitors, marking a pivotal step toward mass adoption of passwordless technology.
Passkeys don’t just make life easier for end users, they drastically reduce credential-related attacks. No password reuse, no credential stuffing, no phishing success.
What Businesses Should Do Now
For IT leaders and security professionals, this shift is both an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity: stronger security with fewer user errors. The challenge: modernizing systems and user habits built around passwords.
Organizations can start by:
- Testing passkeys in pilot groups within Microsoft Entra ID environments.
- Educating employees on how passkeys work and why they’re safer.
- Updating policies to embrace passwordless authentication as a strategic goal.
CyberHoot’s Recommendation
CyberHoot has long advocated for multi-factor authentication (MFA), phishing awareness training, and user empowerment.
Now, with Microsoft leading the charge toward passkeys, it’s time to add passkey adoption to your cybersecurity program roadmap for adoption.
Passwords were never meant to last forever. Passkeys is the technology that will finally replace them.
Additional Reading:
Nick Hahaj, “Passkeys Will Be Better Integrated in Windows,” LinkedIn.
Microsoft Learn – Passkeys Overview.
TechRadar – “It’s About Time Microsoft Finally Rolls Out Better Passkey Integration in Windows”.
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