TECH

PayPal announces support for access keys

PayPal announced that it has added passkeys or passwords to the set of ways to log into an account on Apple devices - iPhone, iPad and Mac users will now be able to log in without entering a password. Later, PayPal will expand support for access keys to other platforms.

Password technology has become a new industry standard created by the FIDO Alliance since Apple, Google and Microsoft agreed to its cross-platform use - user services and devices can now exchange cryptographic keys, eliminating the need for users to type passwords. To log in, you need a public key, which is stored in the cloud, and a private key, which is stored on your phone. This ensures the security of user accounts even if the server is hacked.

Passwords are extremely secure as they allow for additional authentication tools such as fingerprint scanning, facial recognition, pattern keys and PIN codes. On the other hand, the downside of storing access keys locally is the inability to log into your account without accessing your phone or laptop.

To use PayPal's new login method, the owner of a device running iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1, or macOS Ventura must log into their account and select the Generate Password option. Then authentication is performed via Face ID or Touch ID, a key is created and stored on the Apple iCloud Keychain platform. Owners of other versions of the iPhone will be able to log in by scanning the QR code that PayPal generates after entering a username.

American users were the first to be able to log into PayPal using passkeys today. In 2023, the function will appear for users in other countries. And later the service will add support for other platforms. Recently, testing of the feature began on Google Android and Chrome.

mundophone