NordPass, the password manager created by the team behind NordVPN, just shared its statistics showcasing the growing interest in passkey technology. During February, compared to September, there were five times more users using passkeys, and they completed almost four times more logins with passkeys.
 

“From the moment we introduced the feature to create, store, share, and autofill passkeys on NordPass, we’ve seen interest growing. However, the past half-year has been a massive game changer — with passkey sessions multiplying, we can only confirm that internet users are increasingly understanding the benefits of this technology,” says Sorin Manole, head of product research and development at NordPass.

Last year in March, soon after Google, Microsoft, Apple, and other major technology corporations introduced to their users the option to access accounts using passkeys instead of passwords, NordPass has offered internet users its NordPass Passkeys feature. The company was among the first password managers to present clients with a fully multi-platform passkey support.

Why use a password manager for passkeys?

Passkeys consist of two cryptographic keys — public and private — and biometric confirmation. The public key, same as any password, is stored on the website’s server. The private one is saved on a user’s device. Without each other, these keys do not work. Password managers offer the possibility to store the private key in an end-to-end encrypted environment, which allows accessing it from any device or using any operating system. While major technology firms ensure cross-device syncing, it is usually limited to a single ecosystem (such as Apple).

“People create weak passwords so they can remember them easily and avoid getting locked out of their accounts. Passkeys offer us a chance to get rid of this horrible habit — there is no need to remember a private key, and, in fact, it is not feasible, given that it is a very long string of random symbols. However, if our passkeys are not synced across devices, we might as well get locked out. Most modern password managers already offer internet users a solution to this issue,” says Manole.

In an instance where an internet user created a passkey using, for example, an iPhone, but wants to access it on their Microsoft computer, they need to create a new passkey for the same account again. According to Manole, this situation would not happen if passkeys are stored on the password manager rather than device.

How can you improve your passkey game?

Manole says there are a few worthy cybersecurity recommendations that can help improve passkey hygiene and ensure your online accounts are safe.

1. Routinely run updates on your devices and apps. Whether someone stores passkeys in a third-party app or a device, updating the operating system, apps, and extensions is crucial for secure passkey management. Available updates usually come with bug fixes or new features, which help protect from new cyber threats.

2. Get rid of old gadgets. An inseparable part of passkey technology is biometric support, be it face or fingerprint recognition. While some people still use old devices that do not support biometrics, experts recommend investing to replace them.

3. Give passkeys a try wherever possible. The more platforms, browsers, operating systems, and devices add passkey support, and the quicker people adopt them, the higher the chance of reducing the number of cyberattacks.

ABOUT NORDPASS

NordPass is a password manager for both business and consumer clients. It’s powered by the latest technology for the utmost security. Developed with affordability, simplicity, and ease of use in mind, NordPass allows users to access passwords securely on desktop, mobile, and browsers. All passwords are encrypted on the device, so only the user can access them. NordPass was created by the experts behind NordVPN — the advanced security and privacy app. For more information: nordpass.com.