That way it works with not only iPhones and iPads, but also MacBooks or any other USB-C device. The dongle, priced at $70, has a Lightning connector on one side and USB-C on the other side. Yubico first needed to get Apple's MFi certification-a license required for all Lightning devices-before it could start designing the product and getting third-party developers on board. It's been a long time coming.įirst announced in January, the Lightning YubiKey has been in the works for more than a year now. But on Tuesday manufacturer Yubico is releasing the first Lightning port YubiKey for use with iPhones and iPads. Unfortunately, to date it's also been unavailable for the most high-profile smartphone in the world.

To coincide with the launch, password management service LastPass has integrated YubiKey NEO support inside the most recent version of its iOS app.Though there are other authentication dongles out there, YubiKeys are largely the face of the physical two-factor authentication movement. It enabled NFC (near-field communication) tag reading - a feature which lets developers construct apps that utilize an OTP. While Yubico's hardware based authentication supported Android devices for a number of years, iPhone support was made possible thanks to iOS 11, which rolled out last year.

And depending on your typing speed, YubiKey is up to four times quicker than entering a one-time password (OTP) yourself. It removes the need to toggle between apps and jot down temporary codes, and reduces the potential risks associated with mobile and SMS notifications. YubiKey is a small USB authentication device which acts as a second line of defence. A combination of two-factor authentication and effective password management is usually enough to keep nefarious types away from your accounts, but Yubico has introduced an extra layer of safety for iOS that lets you seamlessly log into apps by hovering a YubiKey behind your phone. Digital security has always been paramount, but the advent of tablets and smartphones has allowed us take much more data with us on the go.

Yubikey iphone nfc