WhatsApp would be about to integrate passkey support on iPhone. The most recent beta for iOS includes a reference to this feature, so its arrival is imminent. The evidence comes after the popular instant messaging client confirmed the implementation of access keys in its Android version.
In accordance with @aaronp613a researcher who analyzes application code to discover future features, WhatsApp for iOS includes two lines that refer to passkeys. In one of them the user is informed that they can use the iPhone’s security options to log in to WhatsApp. The access keys leave out passwords and they are committed to a solution that prevents someone from accessing your device.
“With passkeys, you can use Face ID, Touch ID, or your device’s password to log in to WhatsApp. Your access codes are saved in iCloud Keychain”, mentions a part of the code in the WhatsApp beta for iOS. “Create a password to log in more easily and securely,” a second line indicates.
Support for passkeys emerged in mid-September, when the beta version for Android integrated this feature. After a few weeks of testing, WhatsApp announced the availability for all users of this operating system. The access key configuration is found in the option Accountinside the menu Settingswhere we can generate and manage them.
What are passkeys and why are they important in WhatsApp
Passkeys, or access keys, are a simpler and more secure alternative to conventional passwords. The standard, promoted by big technology companies, was designed to simplify the authentication process and make it more resistant to phishing attacks. A passkey replaces a password by pairs of cryptographic keys that allow login in applications and web services.
Users do not need to remember a password, since access keys They use biometric methods, such as face or fingerprint recognition, or a PIN code. When combined with two-step verification, your account is protected from phishing. Passkeys are automatically synchronized between the user’s devices and a cloud service.
Access keys debuted during the macOS Ventura announcement at WWDC 2022. Apple showed how easy it is create a passkey to access a website from Safari, without fear of it being leaked or ending up in the hands of a hacker. Instead of typing a password, just use Touch ID and let the system authenticate you.
In the case of WhatsApppasskeys are useful for functions such as fingerprint lock or two-step verification pin. If you forget your password, you can activate the app using Face ID, Touch ID, or your PIN once it is available for iOS.
At the moment the date on which it could be deployed to all iPhone users is unknown. Let us remember that Passkeys have not been activated in the WhatsApp beta for iOSreferences only exist within the application code.