PCWorld · 8 min
Stop changing weak passwords. Start replacing them with passkeys
As I’ve said before, passwords suck. So do made-up holidays, but World Password Day (which rolls around yearly on May 1) offers as good excuse as any to kick your passwords to the curb.
Sure, the holiday’s intent is getting you to update your passwords to be more secure—like finally abandoning password12345 (oof) for XSmpJAI5v@NtG-7L#Q2F. Or, if passphrases are more your vibe, Water-Whom-Atom-Flame-Snake5.
But to heck with updating. Go with replacing. Specifically, replacing your passwords with passkeys.
Passkeys don’t require memorization, can be stored directly on your phone, and are stronger than passwords. One particular advantage: They’re phishing-resistant. Also, if a website gets hacked (all too common these days), your credential information shouldn’t be crackable nor usable by anyone else.
When you create a passkey, both a public and a private key are generated. (This is known as public-key or asymmetrical encryption.) The private key is kept by your device or password manager...
