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#Apple and #Google have hijacked passkeys to keep users locked into their walled gardens.

Here's how we can make #passkeys work for everyone: https://proton.me/blog/big-tech-passkey

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in reply to Proton

This is pretty FUD-y, @protonprivacy. Most people online don't use any third-party password managers, so it's been important for Apple and Google to get the passkeys experience right with their own password managers for sake of mass adoption. And syncing between operating systems is challenging, but being worked on right now.

Why not use your launch of passkeys support to celebrate the benefits of passkeys instead of making it look like you're the only ones to "do passkeys right"?

in reply to Matthew Miller :donor:

@iamkale I'm going to play devil's advocate here: they're not really _wrong_ though (and neither are you).

Recent history shows that Big Tech doesn't like inter-operability where it hurts user retention in their ecosystem.

We saw/see this with password managers (ex: can't export Keychain from iOS alone - you need a Mac) and TOTP apps (Microsoft authenticator doesn't have a formal export function, you have to use the backup work around.)

Additionally, and rather anecdotally, I still wouldn't say we even saw mass adoption with password managers or more secure MFA (TOTP) from Big Tech efforts either.

So many people don't use the password managers bundled with iOS/Mac or Android/ChromeOS. Even if they do, they're still reusing passwords, defeating the purpose.

in reply to Avoid the Hack! :donor:

@avoidthehack @iamkale I can't speak to previous behavior or actions, but I can assure you that Apple and Google are both actively contributing to standards for secure migration of passkeys across providers.
in reply to tim cappalli

@timcappalli Are they?

Are we sure it's not just cloud sync for that vendor's platform? Ex: Apple to iCloud and Google to Google Drive?

Last I heard/read was that users would still have to create another passkey for new "custodians."

https://fidoalliance.org/passkeys/

in reply to Avoid the Hack! :donor:

@avoidthehack there are two standard protocols being developed for migration between passkey providers, with over 10 providers involved in the work, including Google and Apple. It is not related to sync.
in reply to tim cappalli

@timcappalli Interesting. I wonder if you'll be able to export the passkey to your own storage or if it has to be custodian-to-custodian port.
This entry was edited (3 weeks ago)
in reply to Avoid the Hack! :donor:

@avoidthehack you should pick a passkey provider that allows you to do that. I doubt that secure by default passkey providers would allow regular consumers to shoot themselves in the foot like that. If you're a power user, use a provider that gives you more knobs.
in reply to tim cappalli

@timcappalli We wouldn't know until they actually roll it out to be fair, I am just spitballing considering the closest thing I can think of to something similar we have now are ssh keys.

In theory custodians could never allow an unencrypted export of the key per protocol, who knows.

Edit: Meant to say I use Bitwarden so it is a non-issue currently.

This entry was edited (3 weeks ago)
in reply to Avoid the Hack! :donor:

@avoidthehack there are providers who are waiting for the credential migration protocol to finalize and there are some providers who are unfortunately just dumping to plain text with no protections, which is irresponsible.
in reply to tim cappalli

I find this argument a bit problematic. Just because software like @Team KeePassXC gives users control and choice over their passkeys, which Apple / Google / ... currently don't, doesn't mean they are irresponsible. From what I can tell KeePassXC devs were not involved in the discussions around transfer of passkeys.

Big tech wanted to get passkeys into user hands, which is a great thing, as are passkeys in general. But the statement that it is somewhat of a lock-in situation currently is not false.

And finger-pointing at software that does give users the option to transfer passkeys at their desire is not helping I think. Especially when that aspect has not yet been standardized.

If transfer can happen in encrypted form, that is clearly preferable. You filed https://github.com/keepassxreboot/keepassxc/issues/10407 which is a good thing. The discussion shows however, that the way the debate was going on so far was not ideal.

#passkeys #security #passwordless

This entry was edited (3 weeks ago)