From Passwords to Passkeys: Future-Proofing Digital Signage Security

As organizations increasingly rely on digital screens to communicate with customers and employees, one critical question looms: How can we protect these networks from unauthorized access?

By their very nature, digital signage systems provide highly visible and often distributed endpoints. A successful attack not only disrupts critical messaging but can also inflict reputational damage in real time. In response, the tech world is converging on a single, clear solution: passkeys.

Passkeys are a passwordless login method championed by leading players such as Apple, Google, and the FIDO Alliance. This approach replaces passwords with cryptographic key pairs, offering both stronger security and simpler user experiences. Unlike traditional passwords that can be reused, stolen, or phished, a passkey’s private key never leaves the user’s device and can’t be captured by malicious sites.

For administrators of digital signage software, passkeys present a timely opportunity to mitigate critical vulnerabilities at scale. Below, we explore the technical underpinnings of passkeys, their advantages over passwords, and their direct relevance for any organization managing a network of screens.

We’ll also see how TelemetryTV, a cloud-based digital signage software trusted by brands like Starbucks, Amazon, Boston Consulting Group, Stanford Medicine, Hitachi, JBS Foods, and ABB, implements this next-generation authentication to help reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

Why Passkeys Outshine Passwords & MFA

Most security breaches still stem from compromised credentials, often traced back to password-based flaws. Some organizations have attempted to reinforce logins with multi-factor authentication (MFA), but phishing, SIM hijacking, and user fatigue remain persistent challenges.

Passkeys eliminate the primary vulnerability—passwords themselves—by removing shared secrets from the login chain. In place of a reusable credential (like 'Admin123!'), users authenticate with a challenge-response mechanism tied to their device. When you register a passkey, your device generates a key pair. The private key stays in a secure enclave (like the iPhone’s Secure Enclave or Windows Hello), while a public key is sent to the server.

During login, the server sends a challenge that can only be answered by the correct private key. A biometric or PIN unlock on the user’s device confirms the attempt. There’s no password to remember, no risk of it being exposed, and no risk of an attacker reusing or brute-forcing it.

This table shows how passkeys compare to standard password or MFA logins:

Industry Shift to Passkeys

With Apple, Google, and Microsoft endorsing passkey frameworks, passwordless adoption is accelerating. Apple integrated passkey creation and storage into iOS and macOS. Google followed suit on Android and Chrome, allowing users to sync passkeys across devices via secure cloud backups.

For businesses, passkeys are no longer experimental. They have wide support on most modern devices. Given that administrators of digital signage software frequently sign in from varied environments, broad device compatibility is essential for a seamless deployment.

Security Challenges for a Digital Signage System

Digital signage networks are uniquely prone to credential-based exploits. A successful breach can lead to unauthorized messaging that plays out in public. In regulated environments like healthcare, the stakes are even higher: signage might intersect with real-time data or emergency alerts.

Beyond external threats, insider risk looms large. If multiple employees share credentials, one compromised login can threaten every screen. Traditional password policies try to address this with resets and complexity rules, but administrators still fall prey to phishing or reusing credentials.

Passkeys eliminate shared secrets. Each admin or content manager uses a unique passkey on their device. There is no master password to steal or circulate. If an employee leaves, their passkey access is revoked—no chance of lingering knowledge of a shared password.

Deploying Passkeys in TelemetryTV's Cloud-Based Digital Signage Software

TelemetryTV's software for digital signage supports passkeys, letting customers opt for passwordless authentication. Setting this up involves these steps:

• Account Configuration

Enable passkeys for the organization's TelemetryTV account. Users might still have passwords initially, but passkey-only login can be enforced once people are on board.

• Device Registration

Each user registers one or more passkeys. On Windows, this might use Windows Hello. On macOS, it might use Touch ID. The user’s device generates and stores the private key in a secure enclave.

• Logging in with a Passkey

The user selects 'Passkey Login' at the TelemetryTV sign-in page, gets a device prompt, and confirms with a biometric or PIN. No password entry is required.

• Managing Multiple Passkeys

Most teams prefer each user to have more than one passkey (for example, a phone-based key and a USB key). This ensures minimal downtime if a device is lost or replaced. Administrators can track and revoke passkeys any time.

Benefits for Various Sectors

• Retail Chains

High turnover raises the risk of exposed passwords. With passkeys, credentials can’t simply be shared or linger after an employee’s last day.

• Corporate Campuses

Enterprises often run signage in lobbies and on manufacturing floors. Passkeys align with zero-trust strategies and can integrate with single sign-on.

• Healthcare

Hospitals need stringent access controls. Passkeys greatly reduce phishing risks even when staffers respond to an influx of emails.

• Consulting and Financial Firms

Organizations that share sensitive internal data on displays benefit from passkey-based logins. This lowers the threat of insider misuse.

Practical Tips for a Smooth Transition

• Phase-In Approach

Encourage users to add a passkey while retaining passwords temporarily, then disable passwords once adoption grows.

• Device Variety

Some employees might lack fingerprint readers and prefer USB security keys or smartphone-based passkeys. Supporting multiple methods improves buy-in.

• Emergency Access

Plan for lost or stolen devices. TelemetryTV allows administrators to revoke passkeys and offers fallback login methods.

• Auditing and Monitoring

Passkeys reduce password sharing but track how many passkeys each user has registered and revoke them when employees leave.

Toward a Passwordless Future

Data shows that password-based breaches remain a top cause of corporate compromise, and even multi-factor methods haven’t fully curbed phishing. Passkeys address these issues by uniting robust cryptography with a more intuitive user experience. For a digital signage system, passkeys can guard against disastrous hacks that undermine customer trust in seconds.

TelemetryTV’s digital signage software integrates with this industry-wide shift endorsed by Google, Apple, and the FIDO Alliance. By adopting passkeys, you reduce risk at the most critical entry point: user authentication. It’s a vital step if you oversee multiple screens in any environment.

Explore TelemetryTV’s passkey support and other advanced security features to protect your digital signage network. For more details, check out TelemetryTV's documentation or try passwordless logins directly.