Keeper Security has announced that it will now let mobile users of its password manager create and save passkeys.
Android and iPhone users will now be able to manage their passwordless credentials with the Keeper app, instead of relying on Google and Apple to handle passkeys for them.
The move follows Keeper's support for passkeys in browser extensions on desktop introduced last year. Adding support for mobile now means that passkeys can be used on all Keeper-compatible platforms.
Cross-platform support
Passkeys are the new passwordless technology whose standards are set by the FIDO Alliance - a cross-industry association with most of big tech sitting on the board. Several password managers, including Keeper, are members too.
They make use of cryptographic keys, with the private key stored on device. When combined with the public key - which belongs to the service you are trying to login to - you are granted access to your account. Typically, all that is required for authentication is whatever you use to unlock your device, such as your fingerprint, face, or PIN. Physical security keys can also be used.
For this reason, they are thought to be more secure, as they cannot be phished for like passwords, because not even the user knows what the private portion of the passkey is.
Popular services are increasingly adopting passkeys, including WhatsApp, Bank of America, PlayStation, eBay, PayPal and BestBuy. Keeper has an online directory which lists those that currently support them, letting users login to their accounts without needing a password.
When creating a passkey for a particular service on a mobile device, users should be prompted with a choice of where to save their passkey. If they have Keeper installed, then it will appear in the list of options.
Keeper notes that by storing a passkey with a third-party password manager like Keeper, instead of using Google's or Apple's own managers, users can "login in from any device... this is a key benefit, because otherwise, passkeys can only be used with the device on which they are created."
Passkeys stored in Keeper can also be managed in the same way as passwords, meaning they can be placed in custom folders and shared with other users.
