Providing everyone with fast, secure, and convenient passwordless authentication across accounts

Bitwarden, the credential management leader, today launched passkey management, enabling every user to create, manage, and store passkeys in their vaults. Users can now quickly and securely log into passkey-enabled websites through the Bitwarden web extension. The synchronized passkeys are encrypted in users’ vaults for a more convenient passwordless login experience.

Secure, stronger, encrypted – and easy to use

Every Bitwarden user on any plan can manage passkeys in their vault via the Bitwarden web extension. Upon visiting a passkey-enabled site and initiating the creation process, Bitwarden identifies the request, prompting the user to add the passkey to a vault item or create a new one. Once saved, the passkey is ready for secure passwordless login.

Passkeys are a more secure form of cryptographic authentication that reduce the need for passwords. They operate using a pair of keys: a public key stored on passkey-enabled websites and a private key on a user’s device. Even if a website’s public key leaks, the user’s account remains secure since the private key is safely stored on the user’s device. This process is built on WebAuthn protocols developed by the FIDO Alliance, an open industry association of technology leaders, ensuring a reliable and tested system for secure account access.

"The industry is rapidly shifting towards passkeys based on FIDO authentication to streamline sign-ins for users and organizations with greater convenience and security," said Andrew Shikiar, executive director & CMO of the FIDO Alliance. "Independent credential managers have a critical role to play in accelerating the transition from passwords to passkeys, and we’re pleased to see Bitwarden’s support of passkey management and the company’s commitment to ensuring all of its users can benefit from the robust security that passkeys provide."

Passkeys take center stage

Bitwarden delivers security for all through seamless login experiences, underscored by passkey management for all users. Recently, Bitwarden enhanced individual free accounts with passkey two-factor authentication (2FA), empowering users to add a robust security layer to their accounts. Soon, users will also use passkeys to log into Bitwarden vaults. Today’s release enables passkey management, included in all plans, via the Bitwarden web extension. Upcoming updates will extend passkey support to desktop and mobile, as well as passkey import and export functionality.

The Bitwarden community’s response to passkeys has been enthusiastic. Reddit comments included, "can't wait to try it out" and "this is a game changer." The shift toward fewer passwords was well-received, with users commenting, "Love it. Glad to see no more passwords!" and "Amazing! The future is here." The extension of passkey 2FA to individual free accounts was also met with positive feedback, with posts like "Keeps getting better!" and "Wow, nice... it's a great move from Bitwarden, increasing the security of its users."

A Passwordless Future

The launch of passkey management aligns with an industry-wide shift toward passwordless authentication to address user security challenges posed by weak and reused passwords. A recent Bitwarden survey of 600 developers reinforced the broader transition toward passwordless authentication with 68% of respondents already using passkeys for accessing work applications and 36% of respondents confident that they will become the dominant authentication method to replace passwords.

Passkey management is the latest feature in the Bitwarden portfolio of passwordless solutions, comprising:

• Integrating Passkey 2FA in Bitwarden Password Manager and Bitwarden Secrets Manager
• Secure passkey storage in Bitwarden Password Manager
• Empowering app and web developers with passkey capabilities via Passwordless.dev
• Coming soon: Login into Bitwarden Password Manager and Bitwarden Secrets Manager with a passkey

On November 9, 2023 at 12:00 PM (EST), Bitwarden will host a webcast discussion about the benefits of passwordless solutions, how passkeys can be used with Bitwarden, and how developers can easily add passkeys into their websites and applications.

Availability

Passkey management is now available to all Bitwarden users on all plans. Learn more about passkey management and other Bitwarden security solutions at bitwarden.com. For a list of sites supporting passkeys, refer to the community-sourced Passkey Index on GitHub.

About Bitwarden

Bitwarden empowers enterprises, developers, and individuals to safely store and share sensitive data. With a transparent, open-source approach to password management, secrets management, and passwordless innovations, Bitwarden makes it easy for users to extend robust security practices to all of their online experiences. Founded in 2016, Bitwarden is supported by a passionate global community of security experts and enthusiasts. The company is headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, and has a globally distributed team. Learn more at bitwarden.com.

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