X and LinkedIn prepare for passkeys adoption as MFA providers release new tools

X, formerly known as Twitter, and LinkedIn are taking steps to support passkeys according to The Tape Drive‘s findings in backend code updates to each app. The social media platforms have not announced when the apps will begin supporting Passkeys, but their impending adoption represents another major step towards mainstream consumer adoption.

Passkeys were developed based on FIDO Alliance standards to provide a phishing-resistant alternative to password authentication for account access by consumers and employees.

Apple, Google, and Microsoft are also in the process of supporting passkey on their platforms and apps. Android 14 users will have the option of using third party passkey providers, while Apple will automatically assign a passkey to all hardware owners with an Apple ID starting with version 17 of iOS. TikTok’s and GitHub’s passkey rollouts began last month.

“With two more major platforms with over a billion combined users planning to adopt passkeys, social is snowballing around offering a true passwordless option,” 1Password Chief Product Officer Steve Won wrote in a comment emailed to Biometric Update. “Not only will these companies have mastered reducing friction for users who sign in daily, but they’ll better safeguard the brand reputation of individuals and businesses that could be impacted by a single post. This marks a watershed moment that will move us closer toward making passkeys the new standard for authentication.”

The X and LinkedIn updates also come as passwordless authentication providers release tools to ease passkey usage.

Account management providers add to aid passkey implementation

MFA providers are taking steps to streamline the implementation of biometric passkeys. Keeper Security, a cloud-based cybersecurity software provider, announced expanded support for passkey management across all desktop browsers and for every customer.

Passkeys are stored and managed in the Keeper Vault and can be easily accessed to authenticate using a browser extension. Keeper also created a directory to identify where passkeys can be used.

In a similar vein, Beyond Identity, passwordless identity management provider, announced the launch of The Passkey Journey, a tool to help developers more efficiently adopt passkeys to optimize end user authentication experiences. The tool is both free and GDPR-compliant.

The Passkey Journey provides a JavaScript snippet that can be integrated into a website and analyze visitors’ browsers and devices to determine if they support WebAuthn and passkey usage.

The tool creates a report to show a percentage breakdown of visitors who can use passkeys with biometrics, with only security keys, or who can’t use Passkeys at all. It also gives recommendations to optimize Passkey rollout as well as UX insights.

“Driving passkey adoption is a critical goal for the FIDO Alliance” says the executive director and CMO of the FIDO Alliance, Andrew Shikiar. “Over the past year, we have published research-backed UX guidelines to support consumer deployments and best practice deployment papers to enable enterprise utilization. The Passkey Journey is a valuable development tool that stands to help enterprises make informed decisions on their passkey deployments.”

This post was updated at 7:08pm Eastern on Wednesday, August 30 to include the comment from 1Password.

Article Topics

Beyond Identity  |  biometrics  |  FIDO Alliance  |  Keeper Security  |  LinkedIn  |  passkeys  |  passwordless authentication  |  social media  |  X (twitter)