Topic starter
24/06/2026 7:45 pm
TL;DR: Passwordless adoption is accelerating, but the real-world shift is still hybrid: passkeys, passwords, fallback methods, and device recovery controls coexist, creating new identity governance pressure, according to Hydden and cited industry sources. The security problem has moved from password hygiene alone to managing credential lifecycle, fallback exposure, and account recovery pathways.
Editorial analysis by NHI Mgmt Group, based on content published by Hydden: “The Realities of Going Passwordless”.
By the numbers:
- There are over 4,000 password attacks every second, according to Microsoft.
- Passkey adoption is up 550% year-over-year, according to AuthSignal research cited by Hydden.
Key questions
Q: What breaks when passwordless is deployed but fallback authentication still exists?
A: Passwordless loses most of its value when passwords, recovery codes, or manual resets remain available behind the scenes.
Q: Why do passkeys not eliminate account takeover risk in hybrid environments?
A: Passkeys reduce phishing and password reuse risk, but they do not remove enrolment, recovery, device sync, or identity provider trust decisions.
Q: How do IAM teams govern passkey recovery and offboarding?
A: They should manage passkeys like any other identity credential, with explicit inventory, recovery rules, and removal steps when a device is replaced or a user leaves.
Practitioner guidance
- Map the full authentication chain Document primary login, fallback authentication, recovery, step-up, and cross-device enrolment paths for each user population, then classify which paths remain acceptable under policy.
- Govern passkey enrolment and recovery Require explicit ownership, device binding, and revocation checks for enrolment and account recovery events so a new passkey cannot be registered on an untrusted device without oversight.
- Reduce fallback authentication exposure Remove or constrain passwords, OTP, and email-link recovery where those methods would be too weak to justify keeping them as authorised exceptions.
Bottom line: Passwordless authentication can lower password-specific risk while leaving a broader hybrid identity surface in place.
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25/06/2026 5:11 am
Passwordless does not remove authentication risk, it redistributes it. The centre of gravity moves from memorised secrets to enrolment, recovery, device trust, and fallback governance. That means IAM programmes cannot measure passwordless success by passkey adoption alone. They have to assess whether the weakest acceptable path is still stronger than the threat model demands.
A few things that frame the scale:
- eBay's passkey data shows 55-60% of passkey adoption happens on mobile, against around 20% on desktop.
A question worth separating out:
Q: What is the difference between passwordless authentication and password elimination?
A: Passwordless authentication changes the primary login method, but it does not guarantee passwords disappear from the environment. Many deployments retain legacy access, fallback factors, and recovery paths. Password elimination is a stronger operational state, while passwordless is only the authentication model unless the exceptions are also removed.
👉 Read our full editorial: Passwordless authentication still leaves a hybrid identity risk surface