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How to test fallback mechanisms for unsupported devices?

Vincent Delitz

Vincent

Created: January 8, 2025

Updated: May 1, 2025

Testing Passkey Implementations

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Passkey testing: Comprehensive guide on functional, performance, and penetration tests to ensure secure, seamless authentication for enterprise applications.

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Read by 5,000+ security leaders.


How Do You Test Fallback Mechanisms for Unsupported Devices?#

Fallback mechanisms are critical to ensuring a seamless authentication experience when passkeys are unavailable or unsupported on certain devices. Here's how to effectively test these mechanisms:

testing fallback mechanisms passkeys

1. Identify Common Scenarios#

  • Unsupported Devices: Test on older devices or browsers that lack WebAuthn support.
  • User Error Cases: Simulate scenarios where users cannot access their passkeys, such as device loss or unavailability.

2. Test Alternative Authentication Methods#

  • Password Fallbacks: Verify that users can log in using their credentials if passkeys are unavailable.
  • One-Time Passwords (OTPs): Test SMS or email-based OTP workflows to ensure they function correctly.
  • Security Questions: Validate usability and security for fallback methods like recovery questions, if implemented.

3. Simulate Edge Cases#

  • Network Disruptions: Test fallback mechanisms under poor or no network connectivity.
  • Multiple Fallbacks: Simulate situations requiring sequential fallbacks, such as switching from passkeys to OTPs and then to passwords.

4. Validate UX and Communication#

  • User Guidance: Check that fallback workflows provide clear instructions to users.
  • Error Messaging: Ensure error messages are informative and direct users to alternative authentication options.
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5. Security Considerations#

  • Prevent Abuse: Ensure fallback mechanisms cannot be exploited to bypass primary authentication.
  • Session Integrity: Validate that fallback methods maintain session security and do not compromise user credentials.

6. Cross-Device Testing#

  • Compatibility: Test fallback options across multiple devices, operating systems, and browsers.
  • Consistency: Ensure fallback workflows behave uniformly across supported platforms.

7. Monitor and Improve#

  • Analytics: Track usage data for fallback mechanisms to identify common pain points.
  • Iterative Testing: Continuously refine fallback workflows based on user feedback and test results.

By thoroughly testing fallback mechanisms, you can ensure a robust and user-friendly authentication experience, even for users on unsupported devices.

Read the full article#

Testing Passkey Implementations

Read the full article

Passkey testing: Comprehensive guide on functional, performance, and penetration tests to ensure secure, seamless authentication for enterprise applications.

Read the full article

Read by 5,000+ security leaders.

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