5/26/2023 0 Comments Yubico authenticator![]() I typically end up sliding the USB key around the back of my iPhone a little. To be fair, this isn’t the fault of the YubiKey 5C NFC, more that phone manufacturers make it hard to locate the chip. With mobile devices, the key can be a little fiddly to use, as trying to line it up with the NFC chip in a handset proves hard. I’ve used it on Windows and macOS systems, using both Safari and Chrome, and the key is always recognised and works exactly as it should. When I log into a compatible account, I just plug the key in, tap the button when prompted and that’s it. I find using the Yubikey 5C NFC really easy. This version of the key will work with all mainstream browsers, and it can be used to log you into your macOS devices and, via a free download, your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computers. If you’re struggling, then the YubiKey 5 setup guide has steps for all of the common services.Īs the Yubikey 5C NFC supports the FIDO2/WebAuthn, U2F, Smartcard, OpenPGP and OTP security standards, it works with a huge number of accounts and services, including Google, Microsoft, Coinbase, Facebook, LastPass, Nintendo and loads of others. For example, with Google Accounts, you have to go into your security settings, enable two-factor authentication and then follow the simple registration process to link your key. Setting up the key depends on the service that you use, although the steps are generally similar. I’ve been carrying YubiKey devices around for years and have never had one break. Plus, it’s small and tough, so practically very hard to damage. The Yubikey 5C NFC has no battery, so works anywhere and everywhere. Secondly, if your phone runs out of battery, you can’t generate codes. So, even if someone somehow tricked you into sending them the long code generated by the key, they still wouldn’t be able to use it. Plus, the U2F standard that a lot of websites use, and the key supports, is built so that a login attempt is bound to the origin. With the YubiKey 5C NFC, you have to be physically present, authenticating directly to log into a service. That is, someone can trick you into revealing the code or even intercept it. So, why bother and what’s wrong with standard codes generated by apps such as the Google Authenticator or sent via SMS? Well, there are a couple of issues. Next time you log in, you’re prompted to enter your password and then to use your key, as described above, to verify that it’s you logging in. The idea with the Yubikey 5C NFC is that you register the key with the service that you want to use, such as your Google Account. When the key is plugged in, it lights up green and you tap the metal disc in the middle with a finger to generate a one-time code it does this when you tap it on compatible NFC devices, such as the majority of smartphones. Given the ubiquity of both NFC and USB-C, I feel that this version is the best overall, giving the widest compatibility with the least amount of hassle. The company also sells different versions of this device: with standard USB and NFC with a Lightning connector and USB-C with USB-C only and two Nano versions that you leave permanently connected. It has a USB-C connector on one end, NFC built-in. The Yubikey 5C NFC is a tiny USB device, a little bigger than a coin, that you can fit onto a keychain or keep in your wallet. It’s more secure than using a code generator, works with practically every service and device, and is well priced. ![]() This tiny USB-C device can plug into a computer or use NFC with a smartphone, acting as the two-factor authenticator. Generating these one-time codes can be a real pain, which is where the Yubico Yubikey 5C NFC comes in. ![]() Two-factor authentication is an essential add-on for any online account, requiring a special one-time code that only you know in addition to a password. ![]() Two-factor security This key generates two-factor authentication codes in a more a secure and phishing-resistant way to an authenticator app. ![]()
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