Phishing resistant MFA with FIDO and WebAuthn a practical buyer guide

Why phishing resistant MFA matters

One time codes and prompts are frequently phished or relayed. Passkeys and security keys enforce origin binding so the secret never leaves the device. CISA names FIDO and WebAuthn as phishing resistant authenticators for federal grade protection. cisa.gov

Evidence of real world impact

Google reported that simple account hygiene reduces automated and bulk phishing attacks dramatically, and that stronger authenticators further cut targeted takeover attempts. This supports moving to passkeys for high risk accounts. Google Online Security Blog

Buyer checklist

1. Prefer FIDO based passkeys or hardware security keys with platform and roaming support.

2. Require device and app attestation for admin and developer roles.

3. Keep a secure recovery path that does not weaken the policy.

4. Phase out SMS and voice codes in favor of phishing resistant factors.Follow the CISA fact sheet and playbook when building your rollout plan. cisa.gov+1

Adoption tips

Begin with administrators and remote access, expand to finance and data custodians, then to all staff. Track reductions in suspicious sign in prompts and account recovery events as success metrics. cisa.gov