Yubico, a company that sells physical security keys for two-factor authentication, today announced the launch of the new YubiKey 5C NFC, pairing USB-C and NFC support in a single device.
According to Yubico, the YubiKey 5C NFC is the first multi-protocol security key that supports smart cards. With the NFC integration, the YubiKey 5C NFC features tap-and-go authentication that works with all major browsers and operating systems, plus it continues to offer a physical USB-C connector.
Like other devices in the YubiKey lineup, the YubiKey 5C NFC is a hardware-based two-factor authentication dongle that is designed to work with hundreds of services to make logins more secure. It's more convenient than software-based two-factor authentication because you don't need a security code. Just connect it to a USB-C device or tap it on an NFC-compatible iPhone to authenticate.
"The way that people work and go online is vastly different today than it was a few years ago, and especially within the last several months," said Guido Appenzeller, Chief Product Officer, Yubico. "Users are no longer tied to just one device or service, nor do they want to be. That's why the YubiKey 5C NFC is one of our most sought-after security keys -- it's compatible with a majority of modern-day computers and mobile phones and works well across a range of legacy and modern applications. At the end of the day, our customers crave security that 'just works' no matter what."
YubiKey 5C NFC is compatible with common password management apps like 1Password and LastPass, and it also works on the web. It supports multiple authentication protocols such as FIDO2 and WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, PIV (smart card), OATH-HOTP and OATH-TOTP (hash-based and time-based one-time passwords), OpenPGP, YubiOTP, and challenge-response, so a single key can work with multiple services and applications.
Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple has announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing.
For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also ...
Thursday December 12, 2024 4:36 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Next year's iPhone 17 Pro models will reportedly feature a major redesign, specifically centering around changes to the rear camera module, and now new supply chain information appears to confirm the striking change, according to a Chinese leaker.
iPhone 17 Pro concept render
Late last month, The Information's Wayne Ma claimed that the rear of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro...
Developers now have access to cloud-based M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini units via MacWeb, a Silicon Valley-based provider of cloud services.
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Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:02 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.2, the second update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that was released in September. macOS Sequoia 15.2 comes over a month after the release of macOS Sequoia 15.1.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia update through the Software Update section of System Settings.
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Thursday December 12, 2024 10:39 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple plans to refresh both the Apple TV and the HomePod mini in 2025 as part of a major push into refreshing its smart home product offerings, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In a report on an upcoming Apple-designed Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip, Gurman says that the chip will be introduced in a new Apple TV and HomePod mini that are "scheduled" for 2025. While there is no exact timeline...
Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:54 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today made a mistake with its macOS Sequoia 15.2 update, releasing the software for two Macs that have yet to be launched. There is a software file for "Mac16,12" and "Mac16,13," which are upcoming MacBook Air models.
The leaked software references the "MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and the "MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)," confirming that new M4 MacBook Air models are in...
Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:03 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, the second major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. The new updates come over a month after Apple released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
We used Yubikeys in our org up through last year. They’re $50+ per piece. Our security team doesn’t allow us to deprovision/reprovision them for a 2nd use once they’ve been issued to the first departing employee because they could then contain malware and be compromised- even after following Yubi’s procedures to scrub them.
Needless to say, we don’t use them anymore because if you can’t safely repurpose an IT asset during its service life, it’s a showstopper.
If whatever you're trying to protect isn't worth 50 USD per employee why bother with the yubikeys in the first place? In most organisations I've worked getting a new employee hired, onboarded and trained up is costed in thousands of dollars at a minimum, 50 USD is insignificant compared to that cost, and items under 75 USD aren't tracked on our asset register.
We used Yubikeys in our org up through last year. They’re $50+ per piece. Our security team doesn’t allow us to deprovision/reprovision them for a 2nd use once they’ve been issued to the first departing employee because they could then contain malware and be compromised- even after following Yubi’s procedures to scrub them.
Needless to say, we don’t use them anymore because if you can’t safely repurpose an IT asset during its service life, it’s a showstopper.
Then I have to say as a fellow tinfoil-hat wearer that your security team is really not smart, or really doesn't understand the YubiKey.
It is not possible* for someone to alter the code on a YubiKey once it has been programmed and sealed at the factory.
To me this would be a whistleblower moment for higher-ups. They are throwing away both a massive capital investment, and quite literally (when used properly) the best tool they have against both phishing and lateral movement in their network, because they fail to adequately understand what they are working with and do a proper risk assessment.
Stories like this anger me so much. We need the best security we can possibly get, especially in an age where so many peoples' personal data is being collected and stored. But no, instead of asking the right questions, doing proper research, and doing a proper risk analysis, we're going to use something inferior.
(*as with anything else, yes, I'm sure it's possible somehow, but 1. not by persons of ordinary means and 2. not without physical destruction of the device or other evidence of tampering. Your security team is flushing value down the toilet over the smallest possible chance of compromise.)
I tell people that I use the last 6 digits of pi. With the people I used to hang around with, that usually got a few chuckles, and a puzzled look for whomever I was telling it to. So anyway...
