Passkey Signer: the Convenient Alternative to a Hardware Wallet

There are three main types of authentication:

Something you know – e.g., a password

Something you have – e.g., a physical device

Something you are – e.g., your face or fingerprint

Effective security typically combines at least two of the above forms. 

The Seed Signer relies solely on “something you know,” which is considered the weakest form of authentication. 

In contrast, the Passkey Signer incorporates both “something you have”—your computer, where the key is securely stored in the device’s security module and cannot be extracted—and “something you are,” such as your biometric ID (fingerprint), which authorizes the security chip to sign transactions. As a result, you benefit from two-factor authentication (2FA), combining “something you have” and “something you are.”

It typically takes around 15-20 seconds, the time it takes to complete a transaction on Starknet.

Your funds remain safe.

Once you reinstall the wallet on your new computer’s browser, you’ll be able to import your seed phrase. Then, you’ll be asked to sign a transaction called ‘Remove Passkey Signer’ and enable the Passkey Signer on your new computer.

The Passkey Signer is already included in the Braavos wallet, offering a very high level of security. The only associated cost arises from the low gas fee transactions required to activate it.