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Passkey Central by FIDO Alliance

website·Indexed 35 days ago

https://www.passkeycentral.org

A comprehensive resource hub for implementing passkeys and FIDO standards. It provides developer documentation on WebAuthn, UX design guidelines, roll-out guides for gradual or rapid adoption, Figma UI kits, and guidance on phishing-resistant authentication and accessibility (WCAG).

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What's inside Passkey Central

  1. Overview of Passkey Central resources

    Passkey Central provides a comprehensive set of resources for organizations implementing passkeys, including:

    • Introduction to Passkeys: Basics of what passkeys are, their benefits, and how they function.
    • Needs Identification: Guidance on identifying organizational needs, comparing costs/benefits against other authentication methods, and managing authentication metrics.
    • Roll-Out Guides: Two implementation strategies: a gradual roll-out (user self-discovery via settings) and a rapid roll-out (active promotion to users).
    • Design Guidelines: UX best practices and decision-making resources for product managers, designers, and engineers deploying passkeys at scale.
    • Developer Documents: Technical resources specifically for developers implementing passkey support.
    • Troubleshooting: Guidance on identifying and resolving common passkey implementation issues.
    • Resources and Tools: User communication templates, translations of the term 'passkey', and live implementation examples.

  2. Overview of Web Authentication (WebAuthn)

    WebAuthn is a W3C API specification for accessing public key credentials. It allows users to securely log in to websites and services using authentication methods such as biometrics (fingerprint, facial recognition) or hardware-based authenticators (USB, NFC tokens). WebAuthn is a core component of the FIDO2 Project.

  3. Overview of Passkey Central resources

    Passkey Central provides a comprehensive set of resources for organizations implementing passkeys, including:

    • Introduction to Passkeys: Basics of what passkeys are and how they work.
    • Needs Identification: Guidance on identifying organizational needs, cost-benefit analysis against other authentication methods, and authentication metrics.
    • Roll-Out Guides: Two implementation strategies: a gradual roll-out (user self-discovery) and a rapid roll-out (active promotion).
    • Design Guidelines: UX best practices and decision-making resources for product managers, designers, and engineers.
    • Resources and Tools: User communication templates, translations, and live implementation examples.
    • Developer Documents: Technical resources for developers implementing passkey support.
    • Troubleshooting: Guidance on identifying and resolving common passkey implementation issues.

  4. Plan IT architecture for passkey deployment

    When designing the technical architecture for passkeys, consider the following IT factors:

    • Authentication Coexistence: Plan for a transition period where existing authentication modalities (e.g., passwords) coexist with passkeys before being phased out.
    • Domain Scoping: Passkeys are scoped to specific domains. Account for long-term requirements involving multiple domains or subdomains (e.g., marketing micro-sites) that may require authentication services.

  5. Understand the passkey ecosystem entities

    For passkeys to function correctly, six distinct entities must interact based on industry standards created by the FIDO Alliance and W3C. When troubleshooting, identify which of these entities may be contributing to the unexpected behavior:

    1. Relying Party (RP): The server providing access to a secured software application (typically a website).
    2. Operating Systems: The OS managing the device hardware and software interface.
    3. Browsers: The client application facilitating the WebAuthn ceremony.
    4. Credential Managers: The software responsible for storing and managing passkeys.
    5. Hardware: The physical device (e.g., security keys, biometric sensors).
    6. End User: The person interacting with the system.

  7. Develop a passkey proof of concept (PoC)

    To determine the level of effort and schedule for a launch, organizations should create a proof of concept. Common approaches include dedicating a specific development sprint or running a hackathon. The PoC should be used internally by employees to resolve defects and nuances before being shared with executive stakeholders for feedback. Following FIDO Design Guidelines is recommended to ensure a simple and secure experience.

  8. Design an effective passkey announcement email

    Based on UX research, passkey introduction emails are most effective when they use simple language, emphasize security benefits, and present the feature as optional. Key recommendations include:

    • Subject Line: Use clear, simple phrasing (e.g., "Simple sign in with passkeys is now available").
    • Value Proposition: Highlight phishing resistance and the fact that passkeys are stored in the user's own credential manager (e.g., iCloud Keychain, Google Password Manager) to build trust and a sense of ownership.
    • Visual Cues: Use a boxed modal or indented section for the primary call-to-action (e.g., "Add a passkey") to draw attention.
    • Optionality: Present passkey creation as a choice rather than a requirement to avoid alienating hesitant users.

  9. Business benefits of password deprecation

    Removing passwords from the end-user experience and internal systems provides several business advantages:

    • Conversion: Reduces customer drop-off during critical conversion paths.
    • Cost Reduction: Lowers expenses related to:
      • Real-time monitoring and defense against malicious actors.
      • Continuous hardening of password policies.
      • Account recovery processes (forgot password/account lockout).
      • SMS costs associated with multi-factor authentication.

  10. Identify business benefits of passkey adoption

    The benefits of passkeys scale proportionally with user adoption. Key advantages include:

    • User Experience: Higher sign-in success rates and faster authentication.
    • Security: Reduced phishing, credential stuffing, and overall attack surface.
    • Business Metrics: Lower cart abandonment, increased customer loyalty, and higher conversion rates.
    • Cost Reductions: Lower volume of password reset requests, decreased customer support needs, and reduced SMS costs for authentication.

  11. Draft content for a passkey primer email

    A passkey primer email should follow this structural flow to maximize user conversion:

    • Subject Line: Highlight simplicity and convenience (e.g., "Simpler sign in with passkeys is now available").
    • Introduction: State support for passkeys and relate them to familiar device security (fingerprint, face, or PIN).
    • Call to Action (Add a passkey): Provide concise instructions (e.g., "Go to Security and Privacy settings") inside a boxed modal for visual contrast, accompanied by the passkey icon.
    • Definition (What is a passkey?): Define them as encrypted digital keys that serve as an alternative to passwords and OTPs.
    • Value Proposition (What makes them great?): Focus on two key pillars: phishing resistance and cross-device convenience (mentioning managers like iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager).
    • Education: Provide a 'Learn More' link for transparency and detailed documentation.

  12. UX guidelines for FIDO security keys as a second factor

    These UX recommendations are designed for 'prosumers' (security-conscious early adopters) using browser-based sites on desktop or laptop computers. The guidelines focus on the information and controls provided to users during the implementation of multi-factor authentication (MFA) using FIDO security keys. Note that these guidelines do not cover security policies or account recovery strategies.