User Experience (UX)
Go Passwordless with WebAuthn in Ruby
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#public-key-cryptography
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Go Passwordless with WebAuthn in Ruby

Braulio Martinez • April 24, 2023 • Atlanta, GA

In this informative presentation at RailsConf 2023, Braulio Martinez discusses the evolution of passwordless authentication through the introduction of WebAuthn, a standard developed by the W3C and the FIDO Alliance. The main theme revolves around the inadequacies of traditional password-based authentication and how WebAuthn addresses these issues by enabling secure, user-friendly methods using public-key cryptography and biometrics.

Key points discussed include:

  • Background on Authentication: Martinez outlines the three types of authenticator factors—knowledge (password), possession (security keys), and intrinsic (biometrics)—and identifies the critical security flaws associated with password use, such as susceptibility to phishing and brute force attacks.
  • Introduction to WebAuthn: WebAuthn is presented as a standard that defines APIs for registering and authenticating users robustly without relying solely on passwords. It was developed to enhance security and improve user experience across web applications.
  • How WebAuthn Works: The technology involves a registration and authentication process where a user's credentials are securely stored on specific hardware devices. An overview of the technical flow is provided, illustrating how the browser, authenticator, and server interact during these processes.
  • Implementation in Ruby Applications: Martinez discusses the ease of integrating WebAuthn into Ruby apps, demonstrating how the WebAuthn Ruby gem facilitates this integration, allowing developers to quickly adopt secure authentication practices.
  • Industry Adoption: Several major companies and platforms like GitHub, Google, and AWS have begun employing WebAuthn and passkeys to enhance their authentication processes, showcasing real-world examples of its application.
  • Future Prospects: The talk touches on the concept of 'passkeys,' highlighting ongoing improvements and cross-device compatibility which aim to streamline user experience further.

Concluding the talk, Martinez encourages developers to embrace WebAuthn in their applications, emphasizing its potential to greatly enhance security and user satisfaction. With the rise of cyber threats, transitioning to more secure methods of authentication not only is a technical upgrade but a necessity for the future of digital security.

Go Passwordless with WebAuthn in Ruby
Braulio Martinez • April 24, 2023 • Atlanta, GA

Nowadays, passwords are still our most common authentication method. However, they are not secure enough and have terrible UX.

Therefore, big industry players in the FIDO Alliance like Google, Mozilla, Apple, Amazon (among others) collaborated together to find a solution. WebAuthn was born and eventually became a W3C standard enabling users to authenticate on the web using public-key cryptography together with biometrics.

This talk will allow you to learn what WebAuthn is and how it works. You’ll also see how any Ruby app can easily get the level of authentication security and UX users deserve.

RailsConf 2023

00:00:20.779 Hello, I'm Braulio Martinez, a software engineer with 12 years of experience in Ruby.
00:00:27.480 You can find me on Twitter, GitHub, and Madison.
00:00:32.820 I am also a co-founder of Scissor Code, a company dedicated to helping engineering teams grow in size and expertise.
00:00:40.920 Since our inception, we've been involved in several open source projects, with a particular focus on security.
00:00:46.440 That's why I'm here today to talk to you about WebAuthn and how you can go passwordless by integrating it into your Ruby applications.
00:00:54.180 This is the agenda for today's talk. First, we'll explore why something like WebAuthn was created. Then we'll discuss its context, what it is, who developed it, and how it works internally.
00:01:08.659 We'll examine the different entities involved in the standard and look at some code. Finally, I'll touch on which companies and platforms are currently using this technology.
00:01:21.840 My goal is to encourage all of you to consider adding WebAuthn to your apps and to provide you with various resources that can assist you in doing so.
00:01:46.799 Anyone looking to design an authentication system must consider the concept of authenticator factors, which can be categorized into three groups: knowledge factors, possession factors, and inherence factors.
00:02:11.039 Knowledge factors involve something we know, such as a password or PIN; possession factors involve something we have, such as a banking card or security key; and inherence factors pertain to something we are, like a fingerprint or facial recognition.
00:02:22.640 In an ideal authentication system, we would utilize all three factors. However, for some consumer applications, this may be excessive.
00:02:36.120 For instance, consider ATM authentication, which utilizes a possession factor (the banking card) and a knowledge factor (a four-digit PIN). In comparison, WhatsApp authentication involves possession of a mobile number and optionally, a knowledge factor (a PIN).
00:03:01.319 Nevertheless, despite their flaws, passwords have been the predominant authentication method for the past few decades, serving as shared secrets between users and servers.
00:03:34.980 Unfortunately, they are vulnerable to numerous types of attacks, such as phishing and brute-force attacks, and often reside in databases that can be compromised.
00:03:41.640 When hackers access a server or database, they potentially gain access to all user passwords. Even with encryption, if cracked, passwords can be revealed, especially since users often recycle passwords across different platforms.
00:04:06.239 Furthermore, managing passwords often frustrates users, especially with frequent rotation requirements, while developers struggle with securely storing and filtering these passwords.
00:04:24.419 Statistics show that 81% of all hacking-related breaches were caused by stolen passwords, underscoring the need for more secure authentication methods.
00:04:48.720 While many organizations now employ second-factor authentication methods, they often fall short. Common practices an example includes OTP via SMS, which is discouraged by the U.S. government.
00:05:00.360 SMS-based OTPs are particularly weak due to vulnerabilities such as mobile transfer attacks and social engineering. Though time-based OTPs through apps like Google Authenticator are an improvement, they too face phishing attacks that exploit browser caches.
00:05:33.240 Currently, only 28% of all users utilize some form of second-factor authentication, and in 2022, 89% of organizations experienced phishing attacks, costing them over two million dollars on average.
00:06:12.960 Shockingly, 64% of the companies still relied solely on passwords as their authentication method post-attack. For those who haven’t experienced phishing or similar attacks, let’s visualize an example.
00:06:38.100 Imagine receiving an email prompting you to access your Google account with a link that leads to what seems like the legitimate login page. This page appears authentic, but a closer inspection reveals the URL is distorted, masking a potential phishing attempt.
00:07:09.540 Even security-conscious users can fall prey to such attacks. During this attack, hackers capture any entered credentials, including the authenticator code, allowing them access to user accounts.
00:07:35.580 Moving on, let’s discuss what WebAuthn really is. The official definition describes it as a standard that establishes rules for APIs, enabling users to register and authenticate on web applications using public key cryptography.
00:08:01.300 The W3C organization, which defines web standards, and the FIDO Alliance, an industry consortium founded in 2013 to reduce password reliance, created WebAuthn.
00:08:25.080 This standardization process underwent multiple revisions since its initial draft in 2016, seeing the release of 11 versions before reaching Level One status in 2019, a significant milestone that drew interest from major companies.
00:08:59.040 WebAuthn reached Level Two standard in 2021, and we are currently progressing toward Level Three. Collaboration mainly occurred on GitHub, providing an opportunity for broader engagement.
00:09:21.300 Now let's explore how WebAuthn operates internally. The foundation of WebAuthn is a strong possession factor. Users store their WebAuthn credentials through hardware devices, including security keys or mobile devices.
00:09:51.120 The WebAuthn standard comprehensively outlines various components, dividing these into three main credential types, three entities, and two user flows.
00:10:14.040 First, let’s discuss WebAuthn credentials. These are comprised of a public-private key pair, providing strong authentication due to their reliance on public key cryptography.
00:10:36.180 Another key property of WebAuthn credentials is their scope; they are designed to work only for specific domains, making them less vulnerable to cross-domain attacks. Additionally, they facilitate digital signatures, verifying user identities.
00:11:01.920 The entities include the authenticator, the client, and the relying party. For simplification: the authenticator refers to the hardware or software that stores the credentials, the client is the web browser, and the relying party is the Ruby web server.
00:11:21.720 When a user interacts with these components, two distinct flows emerge: credential registration and authentication. Let’s start with the registration process.
00:11:44.160 During registration, the user interacts with the web application to initiate the process. Following this, the browser communicates with the server, gathering necessary options and algorithms.
00:11:55.680 The server sends these options back to the browser, which utilizes WebAuthn's API to interact with the authenticator and request user authorization to proceed.
00:12:18.780 After the user grants permission, the authenticator generates a new credential, sending the public key back to the browser, which forwards it to the server.
00:12:47.220 The server then validates and verifies the provided credentials, checking that the domain matches and that the challenge is consistent with the initial request.
00:13:07.920 The authentication process closely parallels registration; however, it starts with the user indicating a desire to authenticate with the application. The browser then requests the server for valid options.
00:13:32.880 The server retrieves all necessary information, including the stored public key for that user, and again calls the WebAuthn API to interact with the authenticator.
00:13:57.840 Upon user authorization, the authenticator generates a new signature, returning this along with other relevant data to the server for verification.
00:14:24.840 To illustrate the server-side process, the WebAuthn Ruby gem simplifies compliance with the necessary standards through easy configuration.
00:14:42.420 For instance, the gem helps manage cryptographic algorithms and key storage during the registration and authentication processes.
00:15:06.420 Upon initiating the registration ceremony, we can capture user input for their desired username or security device, forwarding this request to the server.
00:15:25.440 The server responds by providing valid options to the browser, which then calls the WebAuthn API to create a new credential based on user input.
00:15:45.300 If successful, the process culminates with the creation and storage of the new WebAuthn credential in the database.
00:16:03.780 During authentication, a form prompts the user to log in, again invoking the server to locate the user.
00:16:29.940 The server retrieves the user's stored public key and challenges them to authenticate by passing the data back to the browser.
00:16:50.700 After the user performs the verification through the authenticator, relevant secure details are passed back to the server for validation.
00:17:11.460 In most cases, WebAuthn is used as a secondary authentication factor alongside a password. However, it also enables local user verification via biometrics.
00:17:31.200 This integration allows developers to set verification options that enhance security while streamlining the user experience.
00:17:58.740 Passwordless login emerges as a promising paradigm: let's consider a demonstration where I register the Touch ID on my Mac.
00:18:26.220 Now, let’s simulate signing out using the same Touch ID without needing to enter a password. This illustrates the convenience of passwordless access.
00:18:49.020 The advantages of this implementation are numerous. For example, it eliminates the probability of brute-force attacks by relying on secure cryptographic protocols.
00:19:20.500 What’s more, no sensitive data, such as passwords, is stored on the server or in databases but rather on publicly accessible keys.
00:19:36.580 Additionally, WebAuthn provides robust protection against phishing attacks due to domain-validated credentials.
00:19:51.220 While the advantages of WebAuthn are compelling, some challenges remain. For instance, losing the physical device used for registration could result in being locked out of your account.
00:20:07.200 Ensuring portability across devices can also prove difficult, particularly if you registered using a smartphone and later wish to authenticate via a laptop.
00:20:22.760 This limitation could hinder mass adoption unless addressed by the industry, which has proposed implementing passkeys.
00:20:42.979 Essentially, passkeys represent WebAuthn credentials optimized for ease of use and cross-device access, thanks to collaboration between the FIDO Alliance and major tech companies.
00:21:09.660 This initiative aims to ensure passkeys can easily propagate across devices, allowing seamless authentications through familiar services like iCloud and password managers.
00:21:32.880 Furthermore, passkeys are designed with user-friendliness in mind, integrating autofill features and compatibility across devices.
00:21:57.660 As we move towards a future of passwordless authentication, it's essential to recognize the evolving support landscape.
00:22:19.080 Since 2019, support for WebAuthn has improved significantly across various platforms and browsers.
00:22:40.700 Today, we observe widespread compatibility, with tech giants like Apple and Google leading the charge while others like Linux and Ubuntu are also working toward implementation.
00:22:57.480 As WebAuthn adoption continues to rise, notable companies and platforms have integrated this technology.
00:23:20.340 For instance, GitHub and Google use WebAuthn as a second-factor authentication method, while Shopify has begun implementing passkeys.
00:23:43.560 Companies like Login.gov were early adopters, showcasing the potential of WebAuthn in enhancing security measures.
00:24:05.340 To summarize, my aim for you today is to encourage the adoption of WebAuthn in your Ruby applications.
00:24:25.140 With the available Ruby gems, it's easier than ever to integrate this advanced authentication standard into your workflow.
00:24:46.740 I also want to present some resources to assist you further while you explore this exciting technology.
00:25:04.260 Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or require clarification on implementing WebAuthn in your applications.
Braulio Martinez
@brauliomartinezlm
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