Passwords have long been a staple of online security, yet they remain far from foolproof. According to Verizon, nearly one-third of data breaches over the past decade stemmed from stolen credentials, making them one of the biggest security vulnerabilities. Tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft have been actively promoting passkeys as a superior alternative to passwords. With over 15 billion accounts now capable of using passkeys, the shift towards passwordless authentication is gaining momentum. However, widespread adoption remains slow due to concerns about portability and usability. Users often find passkeys cumbersome, especially when switching between devices or recovering access to their accounts.
Hawcx Aims to Solve Passkeys Challenges
Cybersecurity startup Hawcx is looking to revolutionize passwordless authentication by addressing the limitations of passkeys. Founded in 2023 by Riya Shanmugam—an industry veteran with experience at Adobe, Google, and New Relic—along with CTO Selva Kumaraswamy and chief scientist Ravi Ramaraju, the company offers a streamlined authentication solution that eliminates the common headaches associated with passkeys.
One major drawback of passkeys is the reliance on storing private keys either on a device or in the cloud, which can lead to access issues when users change devices. Hawcx has developed a unique approach that cryptographically generates private keys every time a user logs in, eliminating the need for storing or transmitting sensitive authentication data.
How Hawcx’s Technology Works
Hawcx’s solution is platform-agnostic and requires developers to integrate just five lines of code to enable its functionality. Unlike traditional passkeys, which generate and store private keys on devices or cloud services, Hawcx’s technology ensures that private keys are created on-demand for each login session. This allows older devices without modern security chips to leverage the same level of security, making the solution more inclusive.
For instance, when a user switches to a new device, Hawcx prompts them to register the new device and verifies their identity—without creating a new private key that needs to be stored. This streamlined process enhances security while maintaining user convenience.
Shanmugam asserts that Hawcx is not just refining existing passkey technology but fundamentally rethinking the approach to authentication.
“No one is challenging beyond the foundation. What we are challenging is the foundation itself. Passkeys, as they currently exist, come with numerous limitations for users, enterprises, and developers. We believe we can make it significantly better,” she told TechCrunch.
While the company has already filed patents for its technology, it has yet to be widely deployed or validated by independent third parties. This could present challenges in building trust among enterprises. However, Hawcx recently secured $3 million in pre-seed funding led by Engineering Capital, with additional investment from Boldcap. The funding will accelerate product development and market entry.
Currently, Hawcx is in discussions with major banks and gaming companies to initiate pilot programs. These pilots, expected to last between three to six months, will test the viability of the technology with a limited user base. Additionally, the startup is working with cryptography experts from Stanford University to validate its security claims.
Industry Leaders Show Interest
Tushar Phondge, Director of Consumer Identity at ADP, believes Hawcx’s technology could address many of the issues that have hindered passkey adoption. “As effective as passkeys are in improving security, usability remains a significant challenge. Hawcx appears to have a compelling solution,” Phondge stated. ADP is set to pilot Hawcx’s technology to assess its potential in mitigating device dependencies and account lockouts.
Beyond passkey improvements, Hawcx envisions itself evolving into a comprehensive authentication platform. Future integrations may include document verification, live video authentication, and even background checks, providing businesses with a unified security solution.
By tackling the key challenges of passkey authentication, Hawcx is positioning itself as a pioneer in the digital identity space. With major companies expressing interest and pilot programs set to launch, the startup is poised to make a significant impact on how authentication is handled in the future.
