iOS 17, macOS Sonoma add passkeys to Apple ID! Now, keep hackers away

Users on iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma with an Apple ID will automatically be assigned a passkey, allowing them to sign-in to various Apple web services using Face ID or Touch ID instead of passwords to keep hackers away.

iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma will improve the security of Apple ID by eliminating passwords in favor of passkeys that can be generated using Face ID and Touch ID. (Pexels)

One of the strengths of the Apple products and the ecosystem are their security-focused features. Features like Touch ID, Face ID, iCloud and more ensure that any data in an Apple device or stored in the servers do not fall into the hands of hackers and other bad actors. And now, to strengthen its security, the company is introducing another important update. Beginning with iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma, users who have an Apple ID will be automatically assigned passkeys. These passkeys will eliminate passwords when signing into various web-based Apple pages.

Apple users, so far, have been using their Apple ID and password to log in to iCloud, App Store, and Apple account websites. This made these accounts vulnerable to threats such as hacking and phishing as the passwords can be stolen. However, by replacing them with passkeys, users will be able to use Face ID or Touch ID to authenticate the login pages of multiple Apple pages.

iOS 17, macOS Sonoma get passkeys for Apple ID

Passkeys are a much more secure option compared to passwords. According to a post by Apple, “A passkey is a cryptographic entity that's not visible to you, and it's used in place of a password. A passkey consists of a key pair, which—compared to a password—profoundly improves security. One key is public, registered with the website or app you're using. The other key is private, held only by your devices”.

Apple has also revealed that users running beta versions of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma can test it on iCloud.com and appleid.apple.com starting today, June 21. This will be available for all supported devices with the releases of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma later this year.

Reports have also suggested that later, passkeys support will also be extended to third-party apps and websites that support the “Sign-in with Apple” feature.