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I don't like passkeys

853 points · 819 comments · ethanhawksley

  1. wg0 · · focus · HN ↗
    They really are bad. Passkeys have turned out to be just another password that you cannot even memorize.
    1. john_strinlai · · focus · HN ↗
      >just another password that you cannot even memorize

      there's some issues with passkeys, but not being able to memorize them is a feature

      1. wg0 · · focus · HN ↗
        So where do I keep my pass keys is the problem. They are in my password manager just like another password. So what's the point of having them because effectively, the passwords in the password manager and the passkey in the password manager offer the same UX to me? Except that at least I can memorize a password by heart just in case.
        1. drdexebtjl · · focus · HN ↗
          That is the point. They stop you from memorizing it “just in case” and reusing it, and they force you to use a password manager.

          For the average user, which doesn’t use a password manager, this is great. It means they can’t get phished. And it’s also great for the average password manager user, who keeps dozens of insecure and reused passwords in their vault because they manually thought of a password when signing up instead of randomly generating one.

          If you’re already using a password manager and random passwords, the UX is designed to be the same. It’s just a way to get regular people to do this.

          1. Telaneo · · focus · HN ↗
            > If you’re already using a password manager and random passwords, the UX is designed to be the same.

            In that case, they've completely and utterly failed.

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