Get started with Web Authentication (authn)

Making it easy to be secure online

Supported by all the leading browsers and web platforms, WebAuthn greatly simplifies and standardizes the integration of strong authentication into web and mobile applications.

Strong authentication the way you like it

WebAuthn makes it easy to offer users strong authentication using a choice of authenticators such as the YubiKey and built-in platform authenticators such as fingerprint sensor.

Going beyond passwords for stronger security

WebAuthn uses asymmetric (public-key) cryptography with phishing protections built into the browser and platform for registering, and authenticating with websites.

User registers to a web service

The user arrives on a website on their device.

When logging into the website, the application offers the user several options for authentication using native support within all leading browsers and platforms.

User chooses an authenticator

The user can register to the web service using a wide choice of authenticators, including an external authenticator, such as a security key or an authenticator that is built into the platform, such as biometrics (fingerprint, iris scan, facial recognition).

The recommended approach is for the user to first register using an external authenticator that is phishing resistant, and then transfer that trust (bootstrap) to a built-in platform authenticator for subsequent authentication. The benefit of this approach is that if the device is compromised in any way (lost or stolen), then the user still has an external authenticator as a portable root of trust that can be used to quickly onboard a new device and re-authenticate to the web service.

User authenticates to the web service

After the registration step, the user is authenticated to the service on the device.

Once the user has registered to the service they can choose to sign out and sign in again with whichever authenticator is preferred by the user.

Rapid recovery from lost/stolen devices

Allowing users to self-register multiple authenticators to each service makes it possible to rapidly recover from a lost/stolen device.

With WebAuthn, an external authenticator, such as a security key, now becomes a portable root of trust enabling rapid recovery and bootstrapping of new devices.