Keeper Security Report Explores the Hybrid Authentication Landscape

Keeper Security, a cybersecurity provider of zero-trust and zero-knowledge PAM software, release an insight report: Navigating a Hybrid Authentication Landscape. This research explores the evolving strategies that organizations employ to secure sensitive data and identities in an increasingly complex digital environment. 

As traditional, password-based authentication faces rising threats such as phishing and credential stuffing, organizations must increasingly adopt solutions such as passkeys to strengthen their security. Because passwords remain integral to many legacy systems, however, this frequently results in a hybrid approach that combines both. 

Keeper’s report is based on insight from IT and security leaders, worldwide, and highlights the relationship between emerging authentication technology and traditional passwords, providing an in-depth look at how organizations navigate challenges while maintaining robust security. 

Key findings included: 

  • 80 percent of organizations use or plan to adopt passkeys, as they offer a significant reduction in risks such as phishing and credential stuffing. 
  • 40 percent of businesses rely on hybrid authentication systems that blend both passwords and passkeys, often due to the prevalence of legacy systems and specialized applications that do not support passkeys. 
  • 67 percent of businesses cite phishing as a persistent issue in hybrid authentication environments, underscoring the need for more comprehensive security measures. 
  • Managing passwords and passkeys presents a “significant” challenge for 57 percent of IT leaders, with concerns over user confusion, integration and training demands among the top worries. 
  • 70 percent of organizations that adopt passkeys implement them in phases, first prioritizing critical systems and ensuring operational compatibility with existing, password-based systems. 

The report also highlighted the need to adopt more of a layered approach to authentication, balancing modern solutions such as passkeys with stronger password practices. It also stressed employee training, infrastructure upgrades and streamlined integration to ensure security and usability. 

“Organizations are navigating a pivotal shift in authentication, balancing the need for modern passkeys with the continued reliance on passwords for many legacy systems,” said Darren Guccione, Keeper Security’s CEO and co-founder. “Our mission is to provide comprehensive solutions that can manage and secure every type of credential – from traditional passwords to passkeys and secrets – all within a zero-trust and zero-knowledge framework. This approach ensures organizations can confidently adapt to the hybrid authentication landscape while maintaining the highest standards of security and usability.”