Mozilla is not relenting in its effort to make Firefox the preferred browser when privacy and security matters, as it releases Firefox 60 with support for WebAuthn, the authentication technology that eliminate phishing attacks.
The Web authentication technology (WebAuthn) makes it possible for users to access websites with any authentication device like biometric identity proof using a smartphone's fingerprint reader or Face ID, and some other alternatives, without resorting to passwords.
The FIDO Alliance and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) achieved the milestone in the global effort to bring simpler yet stronger web authentication to users in the form of WebAuthn, with support from Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox, FIDO2 Project opens new era of ubiquitous, phishing-resistant, strong authentication to protect web users around the world.
While the password has remained the Achilles heel of the modern Web, with bogus websites that snoop your email address, called phishing or that coax you to disclose credit card credentials which it then uses to steal your money from account.
Mozilla boasts of the fact that Firefox is the first browser to support WebAuthn, with the technology now fully advanced, it's now significantly more capable than earlier attempts to support physical authentication keys.
Albeit, the technology is also coming to Google's Chrome in the next update, and Microsoft's Edge, which are the other popular web browser.
And perhaps, in a few years time, a significant number of web users won't have to cram endless passwords at least for those site that they use regularly.
Firefox 60 debut with support for Web Authentication technology
By John Onwuegbu May 10, 2018
Browser Trends