How to Use a First Passkey Solution for Shared Devices: A Comprehensive Guide

Passkeys have transformed workers’ authentication. They are phishing-resistant and remove passwords from the login flow, dramatically reducing phishing and credential theft risks. No more passwords, no more social engineering attacks - just a quick face scan or fingerprint on a supported device.

But there's a critical limitation: traditional passkeys are tied to a single user and authenticator.

While this works perfectly for personal laptops, it fails when multiple workers share terminals. This includes frontline workers like nurses at healthcare workstations, factory operators at control panels, and retail staff at point-of-sale systems.

WebAuthn standards assume every user has their own authenticator or synced ecosystem (e.g., iCloud Keychain, Google Password Manager). Since frontline workers usually can't bring personal phones into sterile environments or onto factory floors, traditional passkeys leave them stuck with outdated authentication methods.

This guide explores a new approach: a shared device passkeys solution, which brings passwordless security to frontline teams without personal devices or complex workarounds. Same strong passkey protection, now on shared terminals. Let’s get started.

What Are Passkeys and Why Don't They Work on Shared Devices

Understanding Traditional Passkeys

Passkeys are the modern replacement for passwords, built on FIDO2/WebAuthn cryptographic standards. Instead of typing a password you might forget (or hackers might steal), passkeys use a pair of cryptographic keys to verify your identity.

Here’s how they work:

• When you create a passkey, your authenticator generates two mathematically linked keys:
  
  • A private key that stays securely on the authenticator.
  • A public key that’s stored with the website or app (the “relying party”).
• When you log in, your device proves it has the private key without ever sending it over the internet.

This design makes passkeys phishing-resistant. Even if criminals create fake websites or intercept your login attempt, they cannot steal the private key because it never leaves secure hardware.

Note: There are two main passkey types:

1. Device-bound - The private key remains on a single device (e.g., a hardware security key or a Trusted Platform Module, or TPM).‍
2. Synced passkeys - private key securely syncs across a single user’s devices via services like Apple iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager.

The 1:1 Device Binding Problem

Passkeys are designed for a 1:1 relationship between a user and their authenticator. While a single authenticator can technically store multiple accounts, the OS and browser user experience assume one signed-in user at a time.

This creates problems in shared environments:

• A hospital workstation might serve 20 different nurses and doctors during a shift.
• A point-of-sale terminal might rotate between several retail associates.
• Factory terminals are shared between operators across shifts - but personal phones are banned for safety reasons.

Traditional passkeys assume each individual has their own registered authenticator (phone, hardware key, or laptop). Without that, shared devices fall back to weaker methods like shared passwords - which destroy accountability and increase risk.

Why Do Frontline Industries Need Passkeys on Shared Devices?

1. Manufacturing Environment Requirements

Walk onto any factory floor and you'll see the same scene: workers moving between shared terminals throughout their shift, logging into control systems that manage million-dollar production lines. Many of them are not allowed to carry personal devices during work.

Why? Safety regulations restrict or ban smartphones near heavy machinery. One distraction could cause serious injury. Yet these same workers need secure access to critical systems. Three operators might use the same terminal during different shifts, each needing to log production data, adjust machine settings, or approve quality checks.

The stakes are high. If someone makes an error or commits fraud, companies need to know exactly who was logged in. Shared passwords won't cut it; they destroy individual accountability. But traditional passkeys require personal devices that workers can't carry. Manufacturing needs passkey security that works on shared terminals while maintaining clear audit trails for every action.

Manufacturing needs passkey-level security that works on shared terminals while maintaining clear audit trails for every action.

2. Healthcare Shared Workstation Needs

Hospitals face an even tougher challenge. A single workstation in an emergency room might be used by 20 different staff members in one shift. Multiple doctors, nurses, and technicians all need instant access to patient records.

Personal devices? Often restricted or banned in certain clinical areas.

Operating rooms and cleanrooms have strict sterility requirements. Even where phones are allowed, fumbling with a personal device while wearing surgical gloves isn't practical. Healthcare workers need to authenticate quickly, often in time-critical, life-or-death situations.

HIPAA compliance adds another layer of complexity. Every access to patient data must be tracked to a specific individual. Shared passwords could mean million-dollar fines and compromised patient privacy. Healthcare facilities desperately need the security of passkeys, but they need it on the shared workstations that define their daily workflows.

3. Retail and Service Industry Challenges

Retail presents a different but equally demanding scenario. A typical store might have three associates sharing one point-of-sale terminal, rotating throughout the day. During peak hours, authentication must be lightning-fast - customers won't wait while staff struggle to log in.

The industry's high turnover makes personal device requirements unrealistic. New hires need immediate system access, often on their very first shift. Requiring them to set up authentication on personal phones creates friction and delays. Many workers are also reluctant to use their own devices for work purposes.

These associates need secure access to process payments, check inventory, and handle customer data - all while keeping the checkout process smooth.

They need authentication that’s both secure and instant, directly on shared kiosks and terminals.

Traditional passkeys, designed for personal devices, simply can't deliver this combination in shared-device settings.

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What Technical Barriers Prevent Traditional Passkeys from Working on Shared Devices?

WebAuthn was primarily designed for single-user authenticators, not for multi-tenant credential storage on a shared device. Supporting multiple workers securely on the same terminal requires additional architectural layers beyond standard implementations.

Here are the common authentication challenges of frontline workers using shared devices:

1. WebAuthn Architecture Limitations

FIDO Alliance standards emphasize a strong relationship between a user and their authenticator, typically a phone, laptop, or hardware key.

• Private keys are generated and stored on the authenticator itself, protected by secure hardware such as a TPM or secure enclave.
• While a single authenticator can technically store multiple credentials (so one device can serve multiple accounts), the OS and browser user experience assume a single active user session, which makes kiosk-style shared devices difficult to support securely.

The WebAuthn specification does not define native mechanisms for:

• Securely switching between multiple users on the same shared terminal.
• Managing large-scale credential lifecycles across shared devices.
• Enforcing user verification policies in environments without personal authenticators.

Credential roaming today works only within a single user’s ecosystem, such as iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager. These systems cannot sync credentials between different users or allow enterprise-wide, controlled sharing on shared endpoints.

2. Enterprise SSO Platform Gaps

Most enterprise passkey vendors operate within these WebAuthn design boundaries, which limit multi-user deployment capabilities.

• Hardware security keys (like YubiKeys) are a workaround, but distributing, tracking, and replacing thousands of keys at scale is expensive and operationally complex. Lost or damaged keys create both security and logistical problems.
• Existing FIDO2-compliant platforms usually require per-device enrollment, where each user must register their own authenticator individually.
• This model assumes every worker has a dedicated device, which is unrealistic for frontline teams sharing workstations.

3. Industry-Wide Technical Challenges

Frontline environments bring unique obstacles that exacerbate these limitations:

• Manufacturing floors often prohibit smartphones near heavy machinery for safety reasons.
• Healthcare facilities restrict personal devices in sterile or clinical areas.
• Retail and service workers rotate across shared point-of-sale terminals throughout a shift.

At scale, this creates massive operational friction:

• Enrolling thousands of workers across hundreds of shared terminals does not fit the standard one-to-one enrollment workflows.
• IT teams face heavy overhead in tracking device ownership, revoking access when employees leave, and managing role changes - all while keeping credentials secure.

As a result, the strong security benefits of passkeys remain inaccessible to most shared-device scenarios without introducing new architectural approaches designed specifically for these environments.

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How Does the Shared Device Passkeys Solution Work?

1. Core Technical Architecture of Shared Device Passkeys

The solution builds on FIDO2/WebAuthn protocols while adding enterprise-specific capabilities for multi-user environments. It preserves the cryptographic security guarantees of standard passkeys through additional architectural layers.

Each user receives their own unique public/private key pair. Five workers using the same terminal means five separate key pairs, one per individual - no shared private keys are used.

A multi-tenant credential store securely partitions individual credentials on shared terminals. Each private key remains isolated within the device's trusted security module (TPM, secure enclave, or HSM-equivalent).

Enterprise Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems control the complete credential lifecycle - including creation, management, and secure deletion - across all shared devices.

2. Passkey Registration Workflow on Shared Devices

Frontline workers enroll directly at shared terminals. During enrollment, the system generates a unique key pair for each user, mirroring how passkeys are created on personal devices but within an enterprise-managed infrastructure. The private keys are stored in isolated partitions within the device's trusted module, so no user can ever access another user’s credentials.

The solution also supports enterprise-controlled credential portability, which allows credentials to move securely between authorized shared devices. This is different from consumer syncing services like iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager, which only synchronize personal credentials across a single user’s devices.

Each credential created at the terminal is mapped to the enterprise directory, enabling strict access control, audit logging, and compliance reporting.

3. Authentication Flow for Multi-User Shared Device Passkeys

User identification at the terminal triggers the retrieval of their specific credential from the partitioned store. Each user accesses only their individual keypair.

Standard WebAuthn challenge-response proceeds with the user's keypair. The server sends a challenge, the device signs with the user's private key, and authentication completes.

Extension mechanisms add verification beyond native FIDO2: NFC badges, QR codes, Bluetooth for proximity checks. Biometric verification, where terminals support it. Custom methods based on organizational requirements.

Enterprise policies are enforced at authentication time: access controls, time restrictions, and location requirements.

4. Shared Device Implementation Details

The solution’s multi-user credential management system handles complex operations at scale. It securely isolates each user’s credentials, ensures that IAM systems govern provisioning and deprovisioning, and automatically removes credentials for employees who have left the organization.

Fallback authentication methods maintain phishing-resistant standards. Time-based one-time passcodes (TOTP) are delivered through enterprise authenticator apps, while hardware security keys provide a reliable physical backup. Certificate-based authentication supports organizations with PKI requirements. SMS codes and passwords are never used, as they would reintroduce the phishing risks that passkeys are designed to eliminate.

By combining strong hardware-backed key isolation with enterprise controls and secure fallback options, this architecture maintains true passkey-level security and phishing resistance across all authentication methods, even in challenging shared device environments.

What Enterprise Systems Integrate with Shared Device Passkeys?

1. Identity and Access Management Systems

Shared device passkeys integrate directly with major IAM platforms. Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) provides native support for enterprise authentication flows. Okta identity platforms enable single sign-on across shared terminals. Google Workspace integration allows seamless access to productivity tools on shared devices.

These integrations preserve existing identity workflows. Organizations maintain current user directories, access policies, and compliance controls while adding shared device passkey capabilities.

2. Cloud Infrastructure Platforms

Major cloud providers support shared device passkey authentication. Amazon Web Services (AWS) enables secure access to cloud resources from shared terminals. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure provides authentication for enterprise workloads and applications.

Cloud platform integration ensures frontline workers can securely access cloud-based tools and services without personal devices.

3. Enterprise Applications and Business Systems

Core business systems integrate with shared device passkeys. Salesforce platform integration enables CRM access from shared workstations. SAP enterprise systems support passkey authentication for ERP, supply chain, and financial applications. ServiceNow ITSM platform allows IT service management from shared terminals.

Integration extends to manufacturing execution systems, warehouse management platforms, and point-of-sale applications critical to frontline operations.

4. Popular Business Applications

Shared device passkeys support comprehensive application integration. Microsoft 365, Slack, Teams, and other collaboration tools work seamlessly. Custom enterprise applications integrate through standard authentication protocols.

Legacy system integration preserves investments in existing infrastructure. Older applications gain passkey security through authentication bridges and protocol translation.

5. Device and Platform Compatibility

Universal device support spans Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android terminals. Shared workstations, kiosks, tablets, and specialized industrial devices all support the solution.

Browser integration works across Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. Web applications require no modifications to support shared device passkeys.

6. Integration Architecture Options

Four primary integration methods address different enterprise needs. API-based integration for modern applications. SAML and OAuth for federated authentication. LDAP/Active Directory bridging for legacy systems. SDK integration for custom applications.

Enterprise stack integration maintains existing security layers. Shared device passkeys work with VPNs, firewalls, and zero-trust architectures without disrupting the current security posture.

What Are the Business Benefits of Shared Device Passkeys?

1. Enhanced Security Posture

Shared device passkeys eliminate password-based vulnerabilities. Phishing attacks fail because credentials cannot be intercepted or replayed. Social engineering becomes ineffective when there's no password to steal.

Shared secrets disappear from the authentication chain. No more sticky notes with passwords. No more shared login credentials among shift workers. Each authentication uniquely identifies the individual user.

2. Compliance and Audit Capabilities

Every login creates an immutable audit trail linking actions to specific individuals. HIPAA compliance becomes straightforward when patient record access tracks to individual healthcare workers, not shared accounts. PCI DSS requirements are met through strong authentication on payment terminals. GDPR mandates for access control and data protection are satisfied.

Compliance reports are generated automatically. Auditors receive clear evidence of who accessed what, when, and from which terminal. Regulatory fines and breach risks decrease significantly.

3. Operational Efficiency

Onboarding accelerates from hours to minutes. New employees receive credentials on day one without device setup delays. No personal phone configuration. No hardware token distribution.

Help desk tickets drop dramatically. Password resets, which account for typically 30-50% of IT support calls, disappear. Account lockouts from forgotten passwords end. IT teams redirect resources from password management to strategic initiatives.

Shift changes become seamless. Workers authenticate in seconds without password entry delays. Previous shift workers log out, next shift logs in, no password sharing, no security gaps.

4. Enterprise Scalability

The solution scales from 500 to 10,000+ frontline workers without architectural changes. Credential management remains automated, whether supporting one facility or global operations.

Adding new shared terminals requires minimal configuration. Removing departing employees happens automatically through IAM integration. Seasonal workforce fluctuations are handled without IT overhead.

5. User Experience Improvements

Authentication takes seconds, not minutes. Workers tap a badge or scan a fingerprint instead of typing complex passwords. Error rates plummet, no more mistyped passwords or account lockouts.

Accessibility improves for workers with disabilities. Biometric or proximity-based authentication cards remove barriers for those who struggle with password entry. Multiple authentication options ensure every worker can access systems effectively.

The result: Higher productivity, better security, simplified compliance, and improved worker satisfaction, all from a single authentication upgrade.

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When to Use OLOID for Shared Device Passkeys

Your organization may need a shared device passkeys solution when frontline teams use common workstations or kiosks, but cannot rely on personal devices for authentication. OLOID’s passwordless authentication platform builds on WebAuthn standards by supporting multi-user credential partitioning and integration with enterprise IAM systems - capabilities that are not part of most traditional passkey implementations.

If your IT team requires FIDO2-compliant authentication on shared terminals, OLOID provides a standards-based approach that enables multiple users to authenticate securely on the same device while maintaining compliance and security controls.

Frontline workers often face restrictions that make personal phones or hardware tokens impractical or prohibited, such as sterile healthcare environments, manufacturing floors with strict safety policies, or retail settings with high turnover. OLOID’s solution enables strong authentication in these environments without requiring workers to carry personal authenticators.

This approach addresses operational realities such as shared workstations, safety requirements, and frequent workforce changes while maintaining enterprise-grade security.

It can also support organizations at different scales, from a single facility with hundreds of workers to larger operations with thousands of shared terminals, without requiring significant infrastructure changes.

OLOID offers a shared device passkeys solution designed to extend phishing-resistant, passwordless authentication to frontline environments, ensuring these workers have access to secure authentication methods comparable to those used in office settings.

Frequently Asked Questions on Shared Access Passkeys

1. Why don’t traditional passkeys work in shared device environments?

Passkeys are built on the WebAuthn/FIDO2 standard, which enforces a 1:1 binding between a user’s credential and a specific device. This works well for personal laptops or smartphones but creates a roadblock in frontline settings where multiple workers need to authenticate on the same terminal, kiosk, or workstation. As a result, traditional passkeys weren’t designed for environments where devices are shared.

2. What makes shared device authentication so challenging with FIDO2/WebAuthn?

The challenge lies in key storage and credential portability. WebAuthn expects a private key to be stored securely on a user’s personal device. When multiple users rely on the same endpoint, there’s no easy way to separate, rotate, or manage credentials securely without breaking the FIDO2 model.

3. Are shared-device passkey solutions still phishing-resistant?

Yes. Next-generation implementations that extend FIDO2/WebAuthn for shared devices maintain the cryptographic protections of passkeys. They ensure that credentials never leave secure hardware and that no password can be phished or reused, even when multiple employees authenticate on the same terminal.

4. How do innovative passkey solutions overcome the 1:1 binding limitation?

Some vendors are introducing cloud-synced credential stores, secure enclave virtualization, or enterprise credential brokers that decouple passkeys from personal devices. This allows multiple employees to use passkey authentication on shared endpoints while preserving the strong cryptography and phishing resistance of the FIDO2 standard.

5. Can shared device passkeys integrate with existing IAM and SSO systems?

Yes. Leading enterprise-grade solutions are designed to plug into IAM platforms, single sign-on (SSO), and workforce identity management systems. This ensures organizations can extend passkey authentication to shared devices without rebuilding their access infrastructure.

6. What industries benefit most from shared-device passkey authentication?

Industries with large frontline or deskless workforces benefit most, including manufacturing, logistics, retail, healthcare, and hospitality. These environments rely heavily on shared terminals and kiosks, making them ideal use cases for shared passkey innovations.

7. How can enterprises evaluate shared-device passkey solutions?

Organizations should look for vendors that demonstrate FIDO2 compliance, seamless integration with existing IAM platforms, scalability across thousands of shared endpoints, and proven success in frontline-heavy industries. Pilots in real-world environments are often the best way to validate usability and security at scale.