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24/06/2026 6:58 pm
TL;DR: Passwordless authentication is being positioned around passkeys, biometrics, device trust, and adaptive access, but RSA Security and KuppingerCole’s webinar notes that legacy systems, hybrid environments, secure recovery, and phishing resistance still determine whether deployments work at scale. The real test is whether identity programmes can replace passwords without creating new recovery and trust gaps.
NHIMG editorial — here’s why we think this discussion matters
By the numbers:
- Only 20% have formal processes for offboarding and revoking API keys, and even fewer have procedures for rotating them.
Questions worth separating out
Q: How should security teams implement passwordless authentication without weakening recovery controls?
A: Start by treating recovery as part of the authentication design, not a support afterthought.
Q: Why do device trust checks matter in passwordless deployments?
A: Passwordless removes passwords, but it does not tell you whether the endpoint is safe, managed, or compliant.
Practitioner guidance
- Map every fallback path before rollout Inventory password reset, device replacement, help-desk recovery, and application-specific exceptions before expanding passwordless access.
- Bind assurance to device state Require managed-device or verified-device signals for high-risk applications and step-up flows.
- Treat recovery as a privileged workflow Separate secure recovery from routine user support, add logging for recovery approvals, and review who can rebind authenticators.
What to expect at the briefing
RSA Security's full on-demand webinar covers the operational detail this post intentionally leaves for the source:
- Implementation discussion on passkeys, biometrics, device trust, and adaptive access across modern enterprise environments
- Practical coverage of secure recovery and legacy-system integration challenges that shape rollout decisions
- A closer look at how organisations are aligning passwordless deployment with Zero Trust strategies at scale
- On-demand webinar format with KuppingerCole perspectives for teams evaluating deployment options
👉 Watch RSA Security's on-demand webinar on passwordless authentication for modern enterprises →
Passwordless authentication and device trust: are controls ready?
Explore further
25/06/2026 4:02 am
Passwordless authentication is still a trust problem, not just a password problem. Passkeys and biometrics remove reusable secrets from the primary login flow, but they do not eliminate the need to govern enrollment, recovery, and device assurance. The enterprise failure mode moves from password theft to weak fallback design, inconsistent trust signals, and brittle exception handling. Practitioners should therefore judge passwordless by its weakest recovery path, not by its strongest authenticator.
A few things that frame the scale:
- Only 20% have formal processes for offboarding and revoking API keys, and even fewer have procedures for rotating them, according to Ultimate Guide to NHIs.
- 96% of organisations store secrets outside of secrets managers in vulnerable locations including code, config files, and CI/CD tools.
A question worth separating out:
Q: How do teams know if passwordless is actually reducing identity risk?
A: Look for fewer password-reset events, fewer help-desk recovery cases, and tighter policy enforcement across managed devices and high-risk apps. If passwordless adoption rises but exceptions, fallback routes, and recovery tickets stay high, the security gain is probably superficial.
👉 Read our full editorial: Passwordless authentication still depends on recovery and device trust
