Passwordless authentication is an authentication method that verifies users identity and grant access to a site or system without using password. Inst

Implementing Passwordless Authentication with WebAuthn in Rails

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2024-11-26 19:00:02

Passwordless authentication is an authentication method that verifies users identity and grant access to a site or system without using password. Instead, users can authenticate using methods like:

WebAuthn (Web Authentication API) is a W3C and FIDO standard that provides strong, passwordless authentication using public-key cryptography. It replaces passwords and SMS-based methods with secure, user-friendly solutions.

During registration, the authenticator generates a public-private key pair. The public key is sent to the server and stored, while the private key stays securely on the authenticator.

During authentication, the server sends a challenge to the user. The authenticator uses the private key to sign the challenge, proving ownership of the private key.

The server uses the previously stored public key to verify the signed challenge. If the signature matches, authentication is successful.