Security News > 2024 > January > More Australian IT Leaders Could Be Looking to Replace Passwords With Passkeys in 2024

The Australian government announced in 2023 that it would phase out the use of passwords to access key government digital service platform myGov. In the first half of 2024, Australians may be asked to adopt passkeys, which use individual biometric data to authenticate users.

The myGov passkey push across the Australian population will pave the way for IT leaders to adopt this more secure form of authentication in the private sector as public awareness and education rise.

The Australian government said passkeys will be rolled out for users of myGov during the first half of 2024.

Because passkeys utilise biometric data like fingerprint scans or facial recognition, along with a cryptographic authentication key on a device to authenticate users, the Australian government hopes to prevent people from using phishable passwords, while providing a better digital experience.

The survey from FIDO Alliance, which included 200 business respondents in Australia, found that 94% of Australian respondents have already moved or were planning to move within the next two years to passwordless technology, ahead of the global average of 92%. A larger proportion of Australian businesses also believed passkeys would benefit their security posture.

Though the Australian government will be doing a lot of legwork to educate the public around passkeys as part of the myGov rollout to ensure they are adopted by a large number of users, businesses will still need to consider how they support the delivery of education and onboarding for the technology to ensure smooth rollout for their employees and customer bases.

News URL

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/australian-it-leaders-replace-passwords-passkeys-2024/