Web Authentication: How Is Web API Basic Authentication Used?

Web authentication (also called WebAuthn or FIDO2.0) is an authentication standard that could make passwords obsolete. Instead of using letters and numbers to prove identity, users will offer a biometric key (like a fingerprint) or hardware (like a key from Yubikey). 

For years, we've used passwords to gain access to websites and servers. When we want to log on, we tap out a username, and we add on a string of letters and numbers to prove that we are who we claim to be. 

But the average office employee must remember up to 40 unique username/password combinations. That high demand leads to poor habits, such as repetition, that can torpedo your security efforts.

A Short History of WebAuthn

Passwords are catnip to hackers. With a bit of coding cleverness and luck, a hacker can either guess combinations or entice some