Today, the security of computer equipment is one of the factors of greatest concern. With the “leakage” of data from large companies, leakage of personal data, vulnerabilities, hacks and theft, more and more companies are directly requiring the use of two-factor authentication methods to use their services. Similarly, if you want to protect your personal computer with an additional security method, then we are going to tell you which are the best 2FA USB keys that you can buy on the market.
There are many two-factor authentication methods, and you will most likely use them even if you don’t know it; For example, when you carry out an electronic transaction at your bank, you will surely have to use a physical coordinate card, you will receive an SMS on your mobile with a one-time code, or even both. All this is to promote security beyond a simple password and to prevent, to some extent, unauthorized persons from using these highly sensitive services.
What is two-factor authentication?
As its name indicates, two-factor authentication consists in that users have to use two different login methods: normally one is a simple password, and the second, as we have put in the example above, can be receiving an SMS. on the mobile, although there are also other methods such as coordinate cards, biometric scanners (fingerprint, etc.), or even the famous Google Authenticator, an application for the smartphone that generates temporary single-use codes. There are other simpler methods such as simply receiving an email with a link that we will have to enter.
The purpose of this authentication method is to ensure that the correct person is accessing the service. Even if someone else knows your password or it has been leaked or hacked, if the other person does not have access to your email address, the physical coordinate card or your mobile phone, they will not be able to access the service.
Why buy a 2FA authentication USB?
These USB 2FA are a physical device that must be connected to a PC to unlock it, so that even if someone else knows your password in some way, they cannot access your PC if this device is not connected to the computer. Even so, several of the devices that we are going to talk about below have additional protection methods and not just the fact that they are connected, such as a fingerprint reader for example.
You must bear in mind that these devices do not encrypt the content of your hard drive, but simply block the login, so if you have confidential information that you do not want to be accessible, you should combine these devices with disk encryption. In any case, it is like when you have an alarm in your house: it serves to deter thieves and keep your home more protected than if you do not have it, but it is not infallible either.
The best 2FA USB you can buy
Next we are going to tell you what, in our point of view, are the best 2FA USB that you can buy on the market. In each case we are going to tell you its operation, advantages and disadvantages, and your understanding will be left to elucidate which is the one that best suits your needs depending on the level of security you are looking for and the complexity of the device.
Kensington VeriMark
Smartphones are not the only devices that can benefit from the convenience and security of biometric fingerprint technology; This model from the famous manufacturer Kensington is Fido U2F certified, suitable for integration in corporate environments and adding an additional factor to any login you need to perform.
The Kensington VeriMark obviously has a fingerprint reader with 360-degree detection, and once the fingerprint is configured (just like on a smartphone) it will serve to log in to whatever you need: from the PC login to your online accounts , such as email or Facebook since it is capable of integrating with Google Chrome passwords.
Its operation is as simple as a smartphone fingerprint reader: when you have to log into a service, simply put your finger on the device’s reader and the session will start automatically.
Yubico Yubikey 5 NFC
The manufacturer Yubico may not sound familiar to you, but it is one of the most recognized manufacturers of security systems and, of course, it has several USB 2FA models in its catalog starting with the best-selling, the Yubikey 5 NFC. This variant uses wireless technology with the NFC protocol, and represents a very short-range solution (about 4 centimeters) that will require, of course, that your mobile terminal has NFC and the Yubico security application installed and configured.
Essentially, its operation is similar to that of the fingerprint reader above but instead of touching the device with your finger, we will have to bring the smartphone closer to the device. By the way, the manufacturer indicates that this device is very resistant to shocks (it has a perforation to integrate it into a keychain, in fact) and waterproof.
Yubico Yubikey 5Ci
This variant from the same manufacturer is intended for users who need both USB-C and Apple‘s proprietary Lightning connector. This USB 2FA therefore represents a hybrid, since it has both connections, each one located at one end of the device. It is fortified with fiberglass and the center perforation is nothing more than a hole to also integrate it into a key ring.
Like all Yubico security keys, it presents all the security protocols and certificates currently used, although in this case it does not have NFC connectivity like the previous one, it is simply one of these devices that with which they are connected to the equipment, they will work. By the way, it is compatible even with mobile devices.
ChipNet FIDO2 2FA USB
This security key has a USB and NFC connection with the Fido 2 and Fido U2F protocols, it is compatible with PC, Mac and in the case of the NFC connection, it only supports Android smartphones. As we have seen before, the authentication method is as simple as bringing the smartphone with NFC and the manufacturer’s application installed to unlock the access we want at all times.
It is compatible with Windows Hello, Google Chrome, Facebook, GMail, Dropbox, OneDrive and a wide range of applications. In addition, in this case the manufacturer is Spanish and its after-sales service has a very good reputation.
Yubico Yubikey 5 Nano
If you don’t want to be lugging around devices that take up space, this is the smallest USB 2FA you can find. Manufactured by Yubico, it is compatible with the security protocols Fido 2, Fido U2F, Yubico OTP, OAQTH-TOTP, OATH-HOTP, Smart Card (PIV), OpenPGP and Challenge Response, so you can use it practically in any application you need , including in the PC login.
Its operation could not be simpler: you will simply need to have it connected to a USB port of the PC and voila, it has no additional security measures. Of course, it is so small that it is very easy to forget it connected to the PC, so be careful with that.