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WebAuthn

Authentication

Single Sign‑On (SSO) Passkey FIDO2 Security Key

W3C web authentication API enabling public-key credentials (FIDO2) in browsers.

Definition

WebAuthn is the browser API and protocol used by websites to register and authenticate users with public-key credentials. It supports device/platform authenticators (passkeys) and roaming authenticators (hardware security keys).

In plain English W3C web authentication API enabling public-key credentials (FIDO2) in browsers.

Why this matters

Why it matters: It enables phishing-resistant authentication and reduces reliance on passwords.

Example

Example: The server issues a challenge; the authenticator signs it; the server verifies the signature for the correct origin.