Do Passkeys Use PKI?

Do Passkeys Use PKI?#

Yes, passkeys use Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) as part of their core technology to securely authenticate users. PKI is a system that uses pairs of cryptographic keys: a public key that is shared openly and a private key that is kept secret. Passkeys leverage this system to ensure that only the rightful owner of the private key can authenticate, providing a high level of security.

Passkeys use Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) for secure authentication.
Passkeys utilize a pair of cryptographic keys: one public and one private.
The private key never leaves the user’s device, enhancing security.
PKI ensures that passkeys are resistant to phishing and other attacks.

Understanding How Passkeys Use PKI#

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a crucial technology behind the security of passkeys. PKI involves the creation, distribution, and management of cryptographic keys. In the context of passkeys, here's how PKI works:

Cryptographic Key Pair: Passkeys are based on a key pair - one public and one private. The public key is stored on the server, while the private key remains securely on the user’s device.
Authentication Process: When a user attempts to log in, the server sends a challenge that is signed by the private key on the user's device. The server then verifies this signature using the stored public key, ensuring that the user possesses the corresponding private key.
Zero-Knowledge Proof as Security Benefit: The server does not need to know or store the private key, which further protects the user’s credentials.

The Role of PKI in Passkey Technology#

Passkeys, as part of the WebAuthn standard, rely heavily on PKI. This connection brings several key advantages to the table:

Decentralized Trust: PKI enables a decentralized model where trust is distributed across a network rather than centralized in a single entity. This reduces the risk of large-scale breaches.
Key Management: PKI provides a robust framework for managing the lifecycle of cryptographic keys, including their creation, storage and distribution.
Scalability: PKI scales well across various platforms and devices, which is essential for widespread adoption of passkeys as a standard authentication method.

In conclusion, passkeys do indeed use PKI as a fundamental part of their security architecture, offering a secure, scalable, and phishing-resistant authentication method that aligns with modern security standards.

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 →