What Are Passkeys — And Why They Matter
Passkeys rely on public‑key cryptography – a private key is securely stored on a device, while a matching public key resides with the service. When signing in, a challenge is sent to the device, which signs it locally using a fingerprint, PIN, or biometric sensor — never exposing the secret. That protects against phishing, replay attacks, and server-side credential theft.
Although passkeys have been making inroads in consumer services—syncing across devices via cloud stores—they need to work differently in enterprise environments. Companies must tightly control which devices passkeys reside on, ensure they belong to authorized devices, and manage lifecycle events like employee departures.
Mobile‑Bound Passkeys
Secfense champions mobile‑bound passkeys—credentials tethered to a single corporate device.Secfense champions mobile‑bound passkeys—credentials tethered to a single corporate device. Unlike consumer passkeys, which can be synced, these cannot be copied or shared. They remain local, making it impossible for employees to use unapproved devices or for passkeys to be exfiltrated .
This model simplifies enforcement: IT can mandate corporate issuance, revoke credentials instantly when an employee exits, and maintain full audit trails. It’s a zero‑trust fit—verifying who, what, and where—without altering backend systems.
Secfense’s UASB Architecture – Legacy‑Friendly and Frictionless
One standout feature of Secfense is that its UASB layer intercepts login flows, enabling passkey integration without requiring developers to rewrite authentication across dozens or hundreds of apps.
This brings several tangible advantages:
- Consistent policy enforcement: define which devices are allowed, which factors are acceptable, where access may originate, and define quick credential revocations.
- Granular control: add micro‑authorizations for sensitive apps, or extend protection for SaaS/OIDC, RPC-based legacy systems, VPNs, and internal portals .
- Central visibility: log every authentication attempt and audit for compliance with regulations like DORA, NIS2, GDPR, and PSD2.
A proof-of-value deployment often takes under a week, allowing organizations to apply passkey-based access control across enterprise applications with minimal friction.
Workforce vs. Consumer Passkeys
In a 2025 academic study comparing device‑bound versus synced passkeys, researchers highlighted that while syncing aids recovery, it centralizes risk—cloud providers become high‑value targets.
Secfense’s philosophy prioritizes control and compliance over convenience: mobile‑bound passkeys offer superior security in corporate environments, reducing risk without adding complexity. Even so, the platform does allow flexibility—companies can opt in to more user‑friendly models when context allows.
Real‑World Scenarios: Secfense in Action
Take a multinational bank with an average of 50 legacy in‑house and cloud-based apps. By integrating Secfense’s UASB, they:
- Onboard corporate devices into a trusted pool via MDM.
- Automatically issue mobile‑bound passkeys during onboarding.
- Enforce login only from verified devices containing an approved FIDO2 authenticator.
- Revoke access on device loss or employee termination centrally, without touching each individual system.
Within weeks, the bank cut password-related helpdesk tickets by 60%, eliminated phishing risks via stolen credentials, and passed audits under DORA and NIS2 mandates.
Security That Feels Easy
One of the strongest selling points cited by Secfense’s marketing and client testimonials is improved employee experience. Logging in requires just a tap via device biometrics—no typing, no codes, no fuss .
Clients like BNP Paribas Bank Poland and Sandis report that deployment required no developer effort and “users said: wow, it’s so easy” – a message echoed in Secfense’s UASB success stories.
