Passkey Setup Guide¶

What Are Passkeys?¶

Passkeys are a modern, phishing-resistant authentication method that replaces passwords with biometric authentication or security keys.

Benefits: - 🔐 More Secure - Cannot be phished or stolen - ⚡ Faster Login - No typing passwords - 🛡️ FISMA Compliant - Meets IA-2(2) phishing-resistant MFA requirements - 📱 Device-Based - Uses your fingerprint, face, or security key

Supported Authentication Methods¶

Option 1: Biometric Authentication¶

Fingerprint (Touch ID, Windows Hello Fingerprint)
Facial Recognition (Face ID, Windows Hello Face)

Option 2: Hardware Security Key¶

YubiKey
Titan Security Key
Other FIDO2-certified keys

Option 3: Platform Authenticator¶

Windows Hello (Windows 10/11)
Touch ID (Mac)
Face ID (iPhone/iPad)

When to Set Up Passkeys¶

You can set up passkeys at two different times:

1. During Registration (Recommended)¶

After completing account registration, you'll be prompted to set up a passkey immediately.

2. From Account Settings¶

After logging in, navigate to Settings → Passkey Management

Setup Process¶

Step 1: Start Passkey Registration¶

From Registration: - Click "Set up now" when prompted

From Account Settings: 1. Log in to your account 2. Click your name in the header 3. Select "Settings" 4. Click "Add Passkey"

Step 2: Enter Passkey Name¶

Give your passkey a recognizable name to identify the device.

Examples: - MacBook Pro Touch ID - iPhone Face ID - YubiKey 5C - Surface Laptop Fingerprint

Why name it? You may have multiple passkeys on different devices. Names help you manage them.

Step 3: Complete Device Authentication¶

Your browser will prompt you to authenticate using your device's security method.

Windows Hello¶

Steps: 1. Windows security dialog appears 2. Scan your fingerprint OR look at camera for facial recognition 3. Click "OK" when prompted

macOS Touch ID¶

Steps: 1. Touch ID dialog appears 2. Place finger on Touch ID sensor 3. Passkey is registered automatically

iOS Face ID¶

Steps: 1. Face ID prompt appears 2. Look at your device 3. Tap "Continue" when verified

Hardware Security Key¶

Steps: 1. Insert your security key (USB or NFC) 2. Touch the button/sensor on the key 3. Passkey is registered

Step 4: Registration Confirmation¶

✅ Success! Your passkey has been registered.

You'll receive an email confirmation:

From: FISMA Document Upload System <noreply@waed.uscourts.gov>
To: attorney@lawfirm.com
Subject: Passkey Registered for Your Account

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Washington
FISMA Secure Document Upload System
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Hello,

A new passkey has been registered for your account:

Passkey Name: MacBook Pro Touch ID
Registered: November 30, 2025 at 2:15 PM PST
IP Address: 192.168.1.100

You can now sign in using this passkey for faster, more secure
access.

If you did not register this passkey, please contact the Clerk's
Office immediately at (509) 458-3410.

To manage your passkeys, visit:
https://www.waed.uscourts.gov/fisma-upload/settings

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Security Notice: This system handles FISMA High Impact Level
information. All activity is monitored and logged.

Using Your Passkey to Log In¶

Go to: https://www.waed.uscourts.gov/fisma-upload/

Click "Sign in with a passkey"

Step 3: Authenticate¶

Your browser will prompt you to authenticate:

No Email Required! - Passkeys support "usernameless" login

Biometric: Use fingerprint or face
Security Key: Insert key and touch button
Platform: Use Windows Hello, Touch ID, or Face ID

Step 4: Logged In¶

✅ You're now logged in securely!

Managing Multiple Passkeys¶

You can register multiple passkeys for different devices.

Example Setup: - MacBook Pro Touch ID (work computer) - iPhone Face ID (mobile device) - YubiKey 5C (backup/travel)

View Your Passkeys¶

Log in to your account
Go to Settings
View "Registered Passkeys" section

Each passkey shows: - Passkey name - Registration date - Last used date

Add Additional Passkeys¶

In Settings, click "Add Passkey"
Follow the setup process
Choose a different device/method

Remove a Passkey¶

In Settings, find the passkey to remove
Click "Remove" button
Confirm removal

⚠️ Warning: Don't remove your ONLY passkey unless you remember your password!

Troubleshooting Passkey Setup¶

"Browser not supported"¶

Problem: Your browser doesn't support WebAuthn/passkeys

Solution: - Update to latest browser version: - Chrome/Edge 90+ - Firefox 90+ - Safari 14+ - Try a different browser

"No biometric device found"¶

Problem: Your device doesn't have biometric hardware

Solutions: - Use a hardware security key instead (YubiKey, Titan Key) - Set up Windows Hello PIN (Windows) - Use password login

"Passkey registration failed"¶

Problem: Registration process was interrupted

Solutions: 1. Ensure your device's biometric/security feature is enabled 2. Try registering again 3. Try a different authentication method 4. Restart your browser 5. Contact support if issue persists

"Can't find my passkey when logging in"¶

Problem: Passkey isn't appearing in authentication prompt

Solutions: 1. Ensure you're on the SAME device where passkey was registered 2. Passkeys are device-specific - register one for each device 3. Check that biometric/security feature is enabled 4. Try password login and add a new passkey

"Biometric not recognized"¶

Problem: Fingerprint or face not recognized

Solutions: - Clean fingerprint sensor - Ensure good lighting for facial recognition - Re-register biometric in device settings (OS level) - Use alternative passkey or password login

Passkey Security¶

How Passkeys Work¶

Private Key stays on your device (never transmitted)
Public Key is stored on the server
Challenge-response authentication proves you have the private key
Biometric/PIN protects access to the private key

Result: Even if the server is compromised, your passkey can't be stolen or reused.

Passkey vs. Password¶

Feature	Password	Passkey
Phishing Resistant	❌ No	✅ Yes
No Typing	❌ Must type	✅ Biometric
Unique per Site	❌ Often reused	✅ Always unique
Server Breach Safe	❌ Can be stolen	✅ Can't be stolen
FISMA IA-2(2)	❌ No	✅ Yes

Best Practices¶

✅ Register multiple passkeys - Different devices for redundancy
✅ Use descriptive names - Easy to identify later
✅ Keep devices secure - Passkeys rely on device security
✅ Remove old passkeys - When you no longer use a device
❌ Don't share devices - Passkeys grant access to your account

Advanced: Discoverable Credentials¶

The system supports discoverable credentials (also called "resident keys").

What this means: - You can log in WITHOUT entering your email address - The passkey itself identifies your account - Most modern platforms support this (Windows Hello, Touch ID, Face ID, YubiKey 5)

How to use: 1. Click "Sign in with a passkey" 2. Authenticate with your device 3. System automatically logs you in to the correct account

Email Notifications¶

You'll receive email notifications for passkey activities:

Passkey Registered¶

When you successfully register a new passkey

Passkey Removed¶

When you remove a passkey from your account

Optional: Some administrators enable login notifications

Next Steps¶

Now that you have passkeys set up:

Try Passkey Login → Test your new passkey authentication
Manage Passkeys → Add, remove, and organize your passkeys
Upload Documents → Start using the system

Need Help?¶

Clerk's Office - Eastern District of Washington Phone: (509) 458-3410 Email: ecfinfo@waed.uscourts.gov Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Pacific Time

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