X adds support for Passkeys on iOS after removing SMS 2FA support last year

X, first Twitter, today announced Support for Passkey, a new and more secure login method than traditional passwords, which will become an option for US users on iOS devices. This technology has recently been adopted by many apps, including PayPal, TikTok, WhatsApp, and others.

Passkey technology, introduced by the World Wide Web Consortium as well as Google, Apple, Microsoft, and the FIDO Alliance, aims to provide passwordless login across a variety of devices, operating systems, and web browsers. The feature arrived on iOS devices in September 2022 and on Google Accounts last May. Unlike logins, which rely only on a username and password combination, passkeys use biometric authentication such as Face ID or Touch ID, a PIN, or a physical security authentication key to validate login attempts. This process combines the benefits of two-factor authentication (2FA) into a single step, making the login process more intuitive as well as more secure.

This is particularly useful for Extra X, given the high-profile hacks that have seen accounts on the service compromised by bad actors. For example, this January, the US Securities and Exchange’s X account was hacked for sharing an unauthorized post regarding Bitcoin ETF approval. Other notable hacks include Donald Trump Jr.’s , major accounts including President Biden’s were compromised. And even the account of X boss Elon Musk, among others. In that case, the accounts were used to post a message promoting the address of a Bitcoin wallet, with a promise to double the payment in return. (This hack was before Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, now called X).

Since Musk took over Twitter/X, the company removed another security measure that helped keep accounts safe when it announced last year that it would no longer support SMS 2FA for non-paying accounts. Will not do. Twitter (then it was Twitter, not X!) justified the change, presumably as a cost-cutting measure. Saying This method can be misused by bad actors, such as in the case of SIM swaps. However, the reality was that removing security protections resulted in Twitter becoming less secure.

x shared Instructions for getting started with Passkeys on iOS But the company did not say when this option would be available on other platforms or in other markets beyond the US