A web standard created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and FIDO Alliance that allows websites to use public key cryptography to authenticate users with hardware security keys, mobile device biometrics, or platform authenticators instead of passwords.
The full name is Web Authentication: An API for accessing Public Key Credentials
Some key points about WebAuthn:
- It aims to replace password-based authentication with more secure public key cryptography mechanisms.
- It allows website authentication using biometrics like fingerprints or facial recognition on phones/laptops.
- Physical security keys like USB devices or mobile apps can also be used to authenticate via WebAuthn.
- It is cross-platform and works across major web browsers and platforms.
- WebAuthn credentials are scoped to the website, preventing phishing/sharing of credentials across sites.
- It provides multi-factor authentication options going beyond just passwords.
WebAuthn is an open standard that enables passwordless authentication on the web using public key cryptography and platform authenticators, designed to be more secure than traditional password-based login systems.
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