

But the situation is improving all the time. Not all devices and services support these keys. Want to stay secure online? Create a unique username with 1Password’s free Username Generator! This means that when you log in with your normal credentials – which could be a four-digit pin code on your phone, or a username and password on a website – you’ll be asked to provide your security key, too. Security keys are a form of second or multi-factor authentication (MFA). They’re known as a “ possession factor” because they prove you physically own something used to authenticate your account. What is a hardware security key?Ī hardware security key is a way to prove that you or someone you trust – and not a criminal – is trying to access or sign in to something. Here, we’ll break down what these dongles are and how they make it harder for criminals to gain access to your devices and accounts.

Some people will also refer to them as just security keys, or two-factor security keys. These authenticators are called hardware security keys. Have you ever seen someone plug a USB dongle into their device in order to sign in to something? Or worked for a company that required you to use one whenever you unlocked your laptop, or logged in to an important account?
