How to decide between DIY & outsourced passkey approach?

How Can Organizations Decide Between a DIY and Outsourced Passkey Approach?#

When implementing passkeys, organizations must choose between a DIY (do-it-yourself) approach or outsourcing to a specialized provider. Each approach has advantages and challenges that depend on the organization’s resources, expertise, and strategic priorities.

Pros and Cons of DIY Passkey Implementation#

Advantages:

• Full Control: Organizations retain complete control over the system’s architecture and customization.
• Integration Flexibility: The system can be tailored to specific needs and seamlessly integrated with existing infrastructure.
• Cost Savings (Long-Term): For organizations with experienced in-house teams, long-term costs may be lower after the initial setup.

Challenges:

• Resource-Intensive: Requires significant internal resources, including skilled developers and project managers.
• Higher Risk: Lack of expertise in passkey systems can lead to technical challenges, delays, and security vulnerabilities.
• Slower Time-to-Market: Internal development often takes longer, delaying the benefits of adoption.

Pros and Cons of Outsourced Passkey Implementation#

Advantages:

• Expertise: Access to specialized providers ensures a secure and compliant implementation.
• Faster Deployment: Outsourcing accelerates implementation timelines, allowing quicker adoption.
• Scalability: Providers offer solutions that are already optimized for scalability and enterprise use cases.

Challenges:

• Dependence on Vendor: Organizations may rely on third-party support for maintenance and updates.
• Cost (Short-Term): Initial costs may be higher compared to building in-house.
• Data Privacy Concerns: If data residency or privacy laws are strict, organizations must ensure the vendor complies with regulatory requirements.

How to Choose the Right Approach#

1. Assess Resources:

   • Do you have skilled developers and cybersecurity experts in-house?
   • Is there sufficient bandwidth for the project?

2. Evaluate Goals and Timelines:

   • Is rapid implementation critical to meet business goals?
   • Do you need to demonstrate immediate ROI?

3. Consider Security and Compliance:

   • Can you meet regulatory and security standards independently?
   • Does the vendor provide compliance guarantees?

4. Calculate Costs: Compare the long-term costs of maintaining a DIY solution vs. ongoing vendor fees.

By carefully evaluating these factors, organizations can choose the approach that aligns best with their strategic goals and operational capabilities.

Read the full article#

About Corbado

Corbado is the Passkey Intelligence Platform for CIAM teams running consumer authentication at scale. We help you see what IDP logs and generic analytics tools can't: which devices, OS versions, browsers and credential managers support passkeys, why enrollments don't turn into logins, where the WebAuthn flow fails and when an OS / browser update silently breaks login, all without replacing Okta, Auth0, Ping, Cognito or your in-house IDP. Two products: Corbado Observe layers observability for passkeys and any other login method. Corbado Connect adds managed passkeys with analytics built in (alongside your IDP). VicRoads runs passkeys for 5M+ users with Corbado (+80% passkey activation). Talk to a Passkey Expert →