In late February a new Secure Connect passkey service will be offered to Cornell faculty and staff. Here are two reasons to enroll.

Ransomware drives 80% of malware-related attacks in education*   

Hackers think your NetID password has real cash value; you should as well. That’s one reason Cornell has spent the last year developing a passkey login option to protect your account and Cornell’s data. In addition to providing login security, Secure Connect will eventually guard against these kinds of attacks. 

Weak passwords cause 77% of stolen login credentials*

How many places do you log in to every day, each wanting a strong password? It takes a lot to come up with something both strong and memorable so it’s undeniably tempting to opt for Touchdown2024! instead.  

Duo two-step login helps protect your accounts, but hackers recently found a way to get through Duo’s defenses even there.

Passkeys bring login defense into the palm of your hands. 

When you use your fingerprint or your face as a two-step login tool (instead of Duo), the chances of your account getting hacked reduce drastically. A criminal might be able to guess your password and trick you with duo push fatigue, but they can’t easily imitate your unique fingerprint or smile!

No fingerprint reader? No problem!

If your computer doesn’t have a fingerprint reader (or camera) you can still use passkey login. Secure Connect will accept either your biometric login or the password you use on your Cornell-owned computer. It’s not as quick as logging in with a touch, but it still boosts your login security. 

For more information about passkey login at Cornell, visit Secure Connect. If you like the idea of logging in with a touch or a smile, but want to understand how TouchID and Windows Hello work, read about Biometrics and Your Privacy.

*Data from the 2020 Data Breach Investigations Report.