Yubico released a new hardware security key on Wednesday, the YubiKey 5C NFC for $ 55, which offers new sign-in functionality to people who need a single key for their laptops and phones. It can be plugged into a USB-C port or connected wirelessly using NFC (Near Field Communication), which is considered one of the strongest forms of authentication today.
Sweden-based Yubico is the best seller for hardware security keys. Small devices are usually paired with a second form of authentication, such as a password for Sign in to sites like Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Twitter to thwart hackers. In combination with biometric information such as fingerprint or facial recognition, you can completely secure passwords with hardware security keys.
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But one problem today was that there is often no universal key, so people had to carry or keep different ones for different devices. Laptops like MacBooks only have USB-C ports, so old-style USB-A Yubikeys need an adapter, while iPhones, for example, only have a Lightning port. That meant more electronic doo-dads had to buy, wear, register with websites, and worry about losing.
"The YubiKey 5C NFC was our most popular product request," said a company spokesman about the new model.
Passwords are widely used, but badly flawed. People use the same passwords again, which means that a hacker who is given a password for one website can sometimes break into others. And many passwords have already been cracked. The HaveIBeenPwned database contains more than 572 million passwords that have been exposed through data breaches and other security issues.
Password manager software allows you to create and use strong, unique passwords. However, it can be complex to use.
SMS codes and authentication apps that generate a short-lived numeric login code help a lot, but they also have weaknesses. Hardware security keys aren't perfect either, but they help thwart hackers who can't access the physical device. Google has built hardware security key technology right into Android phones so that you can spend the hardware security key in full. So far, however, the technology is not supported far beyond Google.
The hardware security key technology works with the authentication technology FIDO, short for Fast Identity Online, which standardizes how a stronger login works. Yubico has sold more than 10 million hardware security keys, the company said in April. Deliveries increased by around 60% to 70% annually.
The increase in remote work triggered by the Coronavirus pandemic, especially for federal government employees, has led to a "large" increase in sales, the company said.
