Passkeys for Business: A Phishing-Resistant Alternative to Passwords
Passkeys replace a shared secret with cryptographic authentication tied to the legitimate website or application. They reduce password reuse and phishing risk, but businesses still need policies for device enrollment, recovery and employee departures.
Passkeys Are Designed Not to Be Typed Into a Fake Website
A passkey uses a cryptographic key pair. The service keeps the public key, while the private key stays protected on the user's device, security key or approved credential provider. Because the credential is bound to the legitimate service, a fraudulent site can't collect and replay it the way it can a typed password.
Phishing resistance
The credential is associated with the correct site or application.
Less reuse
Users don't invent one password and repeat it across services.
Faster sign-in
Authentication can use device unlock, biometrics or a security key.
How to Register a Passkey on the Platforms You Already Use
Passkey setup takes a few minutes per account. Here's how to add one on the platforms most businesses already run.
Microsoft 365 / Entra ID
- Sign in to your account at myaccount.microsoft.com and go to Security info.
- Select Add sign-in method, then choose Passkey.
- Follow the prompt to create the passkey using your device's built-in authentication, such as Windows Hello, or a physical security key.
- Confirm the passkey appears listed under your sign-in methods, then test it by signing out and back in.
- Administrators can enable passkey registration organization-wide from the Entra admin center under Protection, then Authentication methods.
Google Workspace
- Sign in to your Google Account and go to myaccount.google.com, then Security.
- Under How you sign in to Google, select Passkeys and security keys.
- Select Create a passkey and follow the device prompt to confirm with a fingerprint, face scan or device PIN.
- Administrators can control passkey availability for the organization from the Admin console under Security, then Authentication.
Keeper
- When a supported website offers to create a passkey during sign-in, Keeper will prompt you to save it to the vault.
- Confirm the save, and KeeperFill will offer that passkey automatically the next time you visit the site.
- For a full walkthrough of Keeper's setup and vault management, see our Keeper Password Manager guide.
Planning a Business-Wide Passkey Deployment
Setting up one passkey for yourself takes minutes. Rolling passkeys out across an entire company, deciding which accounts go first, which devices are allowed, how account recovery works, and how offboarding removes access, is a bigger project with its own planning questions.
For phased rollout guidance, hardware security key options, Windows Hello for Business, and how passkeys align with CMMC and NIST SP 800-63-4 assurance levels, see our full guide to passwordless authentication for business.
Put Better Authentication Rules in Writing
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Business Password and Authentication Policy Toolkit
Download the editable Microsoft Word toolkit and customize it for your systems, policies, MFA, passkeys, shared accounts, vendor access and offboarding.
Download the Word ToolkitQuestions Business Leaders Ask
What is a passkey?
A passkey is a cryptographic credential used to authenticate to a specific website or application without sending a reusable password.
Are passkeys the same as biometrics?
No. A fingerprint or face scan may unlock the passkey locally, but the biometric is not sent to the website as the credential.
Can passkeys be phished?
Passkeys based on FIDO/WebAuthn are designed to resist phishing because they're bound to the legitimate service.
Do passkeys eliminate the need for policy?
No. Businesses still need rules for approved devices, storage, recovery, enrollment and offboarding.
Continue Building a Stronger Password Program
Protect Accounts Before Stolen Credentials Become a Business Crisis
STACK Cybersecurity helps businesses plan and deploy passkeys and other phishing-resistant authentication, starting with administrator, executive and finance accounts that face the most targeted phishing attempts.
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