Comment on How do passkeys work across devices?
hedgehog@ttrpg.network 6 months agoUnless you’re using a random 10+ alphanumeric passcode and are fine entering it every time you log into your phone, with a short auto-lock period, you’re much better off enabling biometrics (assuming it’s implemented competently) in combination with a longer passcode and understanding how to disable it when appropriate.
I recently replied with this comment to a Gizmodo article recommending the same thing you did for similar reasons, if you’d like to better understand my rationale: ttrpg.network/comment/6620188
Everythingispenguins@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Read your other comment and I don’t disagree. There are two things that I feel could though have a hiccup. First there is a real possibility that you will not be able to lock your phones. I have never set up face ID on any android I have had, but I don’t see any reference to an auto time out on Android on my phone or any of the setup walkthroughs online. Every manufacturer uses a slightly different build of android so it is hard to say that not Androids has it.
Second it you have a ten digit password as a backup but use face id often the you could forget it. Which would lead many people to use an easy to guess password. Defeating much of the security with a long password has.
hedgehog@ttrpg.network 6 months ago
I can’t speak to Android as a whole, but here’s how often Samsung Face Unlock will require you to re-auth with your phone’s passcode:
iPhones do something similar, but it’s after 48 hours of non-use (instead of 4) and at least weekly instead of daily. Having to enter your password daily should help most people keep it memorized pretty well, but weekly - maybe not. So you definitely have a good point there.
One thing that can make it easier to remember - and just as secure - is to use a longer pass phrase instead of random characters.
If you using the diceware approach (“correct horse battery staple”), then 5 words has 32 times / 5 bits more entropy than a 10 character mixed-case alphanumeric password (64 vs 59 bits of entropy) (4 word passphrases aren’t random enough to be recommended - they have fewer bits of entropy (51) than even 9 character mixed-case alphanumeric passwords (53), though notably 10 same-case alphanumeric characters also have only 51 bits of entropy).
The EFF has a word list that’s been improved for usability. They also have a short list, comprised of words with at most 5 characters each, where you roll 4 dice instead of 5. With 6 words from that list you get 62 bits of entropy, which is good enough to be able to recommend.