Acquisition of Keyless Complete: Privacy-Preserving Authentication Now Strengthens Global Enterprise Defenses Against Deepfakes
Ping Identity has officially completed its acquisition of Keyless, a pioneer in privacy-preserving biometric technology. This strategic move introduces Zero-Knowledge Biometrics to the Ping Identity Platform, providing a high-speed, device-independent solution to the rising threat of AI-powered spoofing, impersonation, and account takeovers.
As deepfakes and generative AI attacks become more sophisticated, traditional multi-factor authentication is being tested. The integration of Keyless allows Ping to offer a one-glance re-verification that is cryptographically protected and virtually impossible for AI to spoof.
Unlike traditional biometrics that store a template or hash of your face in the cloud or on a device, Zero-Knowledge Biometrics ensures that biometric data is never stored in a retrievable or reconstructable form.
Using Secure Multi-Party Computation, the system transforms a facial scan into unrecognizable cryptographic fragments. During authentication, the system confirms the user’s identity by comparing these fragments without ever “seeing” or reconstructing the actual biometric image.
Key Technical Benchmarks:
- Speed: Re-verification in under 300 milliseconds.
- Privacy: No biometric data at rest, in transit, or in use.
- Independence: Works across any device with a camera—no specialized hardware required.
The acquisition allows Ping Identity to bridge the gap in environments where traditional mobile-based MFA fails, such as manufacturing floors or healthcare kiosks where workers share devices.
| Feature | Legacy Biometrics | Zero-Knowledge Biometrics (Keyless) |
| Data Storage | Local to a single device | Decentralized / Non-retrievable |
| Portability | Locked to one hardware unit | Device-independent (Web & App) |
| Shared Devices | Difficult to manage multiple users | Seamless multi-user re-verification |
| AI Resilience | Susceptible to advanced injection | Built-in deepfake & spoofing detection |
| Speed | Varies by hardware | Consistent sub-300ms performance |
“AI is accelerating identity-based attacks. Authentication must be resilient and simple to use, while simultaneously ensuring the originally verified user is who they say they are. Keyless delivers privacy-preserving biometrics that make strong verification effortless.” — Andre Durand, CEO and Founder of Ping Identity.
“Zero-Knowledge Biometrics allow organizations to re-verify the originally verified identity across the entire journey onboarding, access, step up, and recovery, without ever exposing biometric data.” — Andrea Carmignani, CEO and Co-Founder of Keyless
The combined capabilities help enterprises navigate the increasingly complex global regulatory landscape. The platform is designed to support:
- eIDAS 2.0: Meets European standards for digital identity and trust services.
- GDPR & CCPA: Ensures biometric data is not classified as stored PII.
- PSD3: Aligns with emerging financial service security requirements.
Source: Ping Identity
