Physical security keys are currently the simplest two-factor authentication method to use and the toughest to crack. Lock Down Your Login Data With a USB-based Security Key This is especially important when sending private data over public Wi-Fi, which is especially vulnerable to interception. When working with any online information you need to keep secure, especially financial data, the best way to stay as safe as possible is to use a USB-based security key. Even authentication apps are commonly phished with identical-looking fake websites. Older two-factor authentication methods can be hacked by temporarily reassigning your phone number or forwarding your emails to a device under the hacker's control. Protect Your Data Wherever You Go With Our Lightning-fast USB-C Drives If the site and your biometric data look good, your key will use the unique token that it previously generated for that site to cryptographically sign the challenge and allow you to proceed with the login. Next, the key will check your fingerprint on its sensor. Your key will first check to make sure that you're at the correct site to prevent phishing attempts. Your internet browser will send a cryptographic challenge to the key's security protocols, including the site's domain name. In the future, when you want to log in, you'll enter your username and password as usual, and then insert the security key into any USB port and press the sensor button with your finger. This allows you to confirm your identity at any time. Once you've generated a token for a specific account on a given site, your security key will act as the second authentication factor. Enter whatever information the site asks for, when the site instructs you to, insert your key into any USB port to generate that site's unique token. In the two-factor authentication tab or menu, you'll see an option to add or use a security key. Under its security or login settings, you should see an option to edit or add two-factor authentication options. Make sure that you have your security key handy, and then click on your account's settings menu. It doesn't matter if you've already configured the site to use an alternative second security layer like an authentication email. To get started, use your username and password to log into a website that supports two-factor authentication. This lets you use the same security key with many different secure online portals, like Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, Gmail, GitHub, Dropbox, and more. Most USB keys use a token generation standard like Google's FIDO U2F, which allows them to generate multiple uniquely identifying tokens. If your key finds its way into someone else's hands, they'd still need your login information and your finger to steal your data. None of your account details or personal data are accessible from the security key. Your USB key's unique identity, along with its built-in token generator and fingerprint reader, make it harder to breach than the other two-factor authentication methods. This ensures that even if your password is hacked, the hacker will still have difficulty accessing your secure data.Ī security key can provide that second layer of authentication, replacing the authentication apps and email or SMS codes. Two-factor authentication is when a secure portal requires another authentication step besides your password before letting you log in. Many also come with Bluetooth and NFC capability, allowing you to use them with Apple and Android smartphones.
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