Google has made some significant progress in popularizing the use of physical security keys in recent years, but Yubico has been steadfastly working in that field for over a decade. The company has earned our respect. And if you’re looking to protect your data, the latest Yubikey could be the most convenient option for you.
Yubico announced the release of the YubiKey 5C NFC on Wednesday. It’s the company’s first security key to offer the option of USB-C or NFC for logging into your device and services. While many people have gradually gotten used to using text message-based two-factor authentication for passwords, SMS can still be an insecure method of protecting your logins. Security keys make it much more difficult for intruders because they require bad actors to have physical access to your device. The addition of NFC makes logins that much more seamless and offers users an option for logging in when a device doesn’t have the proper USB port. The device should be compatible with pretty much any service that enables users to turn on Universal 2nd Factor Authentication (U2F).
Wireless security key authentication has been a long time coming for Yubico, and this launch means that it now offers YubiKey 5 with NFC capabilities in USB-A and USB-C, covering most of the popular devices today. Yubico has been reluctant to join Google in offering Bluetooth as an authentication option. Last year, its concerns over the security of Bluetooth were confirmed when Google had to recall some of its Titan Keys after a vulnerability was discovered.
If you want to get into the security key game, the YubiKey 5C NFC should be a reliable choice. It’ll cost ya $55 and it’s supported on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux.