Some of them are capable of handling authentication to many different devices, like YubiKey 5 NFC, which at the time of writing is the newest version and can be used with mobile devices, desktops, and servers. Some of the security keys are for only mobile devices or only for desktop/server use. Yubico has different kinds of products for different use cases. It was founded in 2007 in Sweden but has since moved to Silicon Valley. Yubico is one of the many companies manufacturing security keys. If you would like to first familiarize yourself with passwords and how to use them securely, I have a post on that here.
Your password and security key are still required when a new device tries to log in to your account, keeping your account safe from unauthorized logins. This means you don’t need to type in your password and use your security key when using that service on that device. Some services can also be set to remember your session on a specific device. Of course, making our lives easier the browsers usually remember our sessions and therefore you should always be very careful with who has physical access to your devices. If your password is weak or was breached in a hack, the cybercrooks can’t log in as they don’t have your security key. When you have started using the key, you can only log in if you provide these both factors. Logging in with two authentication separate authentication methods is called 2-factor authentication, in the case of password and security key, it is based on something you know (password) and something you own (security key).
Easy, fast and most importantly, very secure. Instead of using only a password to log in, you need to plug the security key into the USB slot in your computer or swipe it on your phone to read it with NFC.
These products are security keys, developed to help and secure users with an additional authentication factor. Recently, a few manufacturers’ products have received wider support and are easy to take into use. Password managers have been around for some time to guarantee we don’t lose our passwords and online identity at the same time. Using strong and unique passwords is getting easier.
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