Fastmail now supports passkeys
Fastmail has launched a new feature allowing users to create passkeys for their accounts, promising a faster and more secure authentication method compared to traditional passwords. Passkeys address the inherent weaknesses of passwords by using cryptographic keys that offer several advantages over conventional methods.
Passwords, the standard for online authentication, present challenges such as the difficulty in creating secure passwords and vulnerability to phishing attacks. In contrast, passkeys operate on public key cryptography, where a private key creates a signature and a public key that the website can verify. This method provides security benefits like replay resistance, where each login attempt involves a unique challenge from the website, making passkeys resistant to interception. They are also leak-resistant since only the public key can be compromised without being used to forge a login, and they are phishing-proof as passkeys are inherently tied to the website they were created for.
Six steps to safeguarding your digital identity
We lose a bit of our digital privacy with every data breach that occurs. A breach like the one at AT&T -- which exposed Social Security numbers and other personal information needed for identity theft -- is particularly serious in the landscape of data breaches. The percentage of users with Social Security numbers exposed in our data bases following the AT&T breach increased from less than 1 percent to almost 15 percent. Sensitive personal information getting out -- especially when it's easily accessible on the public internet, not just the dark web, which requires special software to be accessed -- opens you up to a huge risk of abuse.
The most notable threat users face is the potential for identity theft, where malicious actors access email, bank, and credit card accounts to impersonate victims. This can also include gaining unauthorized access to accounts by resetting passwords and even taking control of your phone number to bypass text message confirmations. What’s more, if a thief has access to your personal details, they might go as far as taking out loans or credit cards in your name -- a tactic that remains one of the most common types of identity theft.
Proton Mail enhances user privacy with hide-my-email alias integration
Proton Mail, the popular email service known for its strong focus on both privacy and security, has integrated hide-my-email alias features directly into its web and desktop platforms. This move gives users more control over their online identity, setting Proton Mail apart from other email providers like Gmail.
The hide-my-email alias feature allows users to generate unique, random email addresses for use with apps, websites, and other digital services. This means that users can keep their personal email addresses private, reducing the risk of being targeted by malware, spam, or online trackers. If an alias is ever compromised, it can be easily deactivated without affecting the user's primary email address.