GitHub has now announced the general availability of passkeys for all users, following its beta testing.
According to the repository’s blog post, the deployment is a part of its goal to “strengthen security across the platform—without compromising user experience.”
Additionally, it states that it will keep working to make 2FA a requirement for all accounts by the end of the year.
Users can sign in using passkeys without entering a password. They are thought to be more safe as well as more convenient because there are no credentials that malicious actors can steal, which is the most common cyber threat faced by businesses.
The news is the most recent in a series of declarations from other companies that they, too, support passkeys.
The password management apps 1Password and NordPass have increased their support for passkeys since the release of Apple’s iOS 17 for iPhone, and it was recently discovered that WhatsApp appears ready to adopt passwordless technology.
Passkeys do away with passwords and instead, provide access to supported services via a pair of cryptographic keys. Whatever method you use to secure your device—fingerprint, face, or PIN—is all that is required to authenticate. There are also physical security keys available.
They may also be utilized on several devices due to cloud syncing. The implementation of Passkey has been criticized for not supporting several platforms, although it appears that this issue is being solved.
“If you’re a Chrome and Mac user, you’ll be able to access the iCloud keychain on Macs, in Chrome 118, meaning that a passkey created on your iOS device and synced to your Mac will now be usable within Chrome. This kind of cross-ecosystem support is critical to the free and open use of passkeys,” GitHub said.
It also added that using a compatible third-party password manager will make passkeys available across different platforms.