Why it’s time to upgrade to passkeys and MFA

Why it’s time to upgrade to passkeys and MFA

Passwords are the weakest link in modern business security. Every day, organisations face data breaches, credential stuffing and account takeovers simply because traditional passwords are vulnerable to human error and automated attacks. If your team is still relying on passwords to protect critical data, hopefully our Wirebox experts can convince you that now’s the time to move on.

The problem with passwords

For decades, digital security relied on something you knew, like a string of letters, numbers and symbols. But this model creates two distinct problems:

1. Reuse – Employees often reuse variations of the same password across multiple platforms or create simple patterns that automated tools can guess within seconds. If adding the current year or popping a ? or ! on the end immediately came to mind… then you are the risk.
2. Phishing – Even the most secure password can be harvested if an employee enters it into a convincing fake login page, and that only takes seconds – they may never even realise they’ve done it.

So, you need to move to something else: passkeys & MFA

2027 cybersecurity upgrade path

To be ready for next year’s challenges, we recommend you move to the latest authentication technology:

Step 1 – Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

MFA adds a second layer of verification by requiring something you have (like an authenticator app code or SMS security key) alongside your password. Even if an attacker steals your password, they can’t get in because they don’t have the physical factor.

Step 2 – Passkeys

Passkeys eliminate passwords altogether. Built on FIDO2 and WebAuthn standards, passkeys use cryptography tied directly to a user’s device, such as a laptop, phone or hardware security key like a YubiKey. Login requires biometric verification, like fingerprint or facial recognition or a device PIN.

Three business benefits of upgrading to passkeys

Immunity to phishing

Passkeys are bound to the exact website or domain where they were created. So, if an employee accidentally clicks a malicious link to a fake login site, the passkey simply will not activate because the domain mismatch is detected instantly at the hardware level.

Faster logins

Security usually slows people down, but passkeys don’t. Employees log into internal systems using native device biometrics, like Touch ID or Windows Hello, in under two seconds, eliminating password resets and login delays.

Reduced IT overhead

Password resets account for up to 15% to 20% of all internal IT helpdesk requests in typical organisations. So, removing passwords frees up valuable technical support time to focus on core operations.

How to start transitioning your business

1. Identify which platforms, web portals and internal tools support FIDO2, WebAuthn or SSO.
2. If passwordless logins are not yet supported across all your systems, enforce MFA via authenticator apps rather than SMS codes.
3. Start by enabling MFA or passkeys for high-risk accounts, such as administrators, finance teams and developers, before rolling out across the wider business.

Relying solely on passwords is a liability you don’t need to carry. Upgrading to MFA and adopting passkeys gives your organisation better protection against automated attacks, reduces support overhead and offers a smoother experience for staff and clients alike.