I don’t know how many times people have to shout this at you, but if you’re not using two-factor authentication then we’re into the era when getting your account hacked or stolen is 99% your own fault. Yet people keep putting it off, people keep finding excuses, and they just play the mental game of “I’m not important, so why would they hack me anyway?”
Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. No excuse is worth it. Every excuse is weak. Protect yourself already.
But look, if you clicked this story you’re looking for that something extra beyond the basics. You know it’s right to use good passwords, to use a password manager, and to turn on two-factor authentication. And the real question is – why go the extra mile with a hardware key like Yubico’s YubiKey?
A reminder: introducing YubiKey has led companies like Google to become zero intrusion environments. It’s that secure. And for less than $100 you can get that for yourself.
Separating your second factor from your mobile device is top tier security practice, and with the YubiKey 5C NFC you can now have protection that works confidently across all modern devices, with the USB-C port and Near Field Communication combo to suit laptops and iOS and Android mobiles. The trickiest connection might be an older desktop PC.
The setup process is simple – in fact, there really isn’t one. You don’t need to register it with Yubico or setup a special account. Once you own a Yubikey, you can use it as a multi factor token in any service that supports one. In an existing account you go to your settings and add the multi factor option to your account. Plug in or tap your Yubikey to authorise the connection.
If you’re switching from another Yubikey, or another two-factor option, you swap over by disconnecting and reconnecting your service. Often you can just add the new token and keep your old one as a backup.
There’s been plenty of reasons why past YubiKey devices might not quite be what you needed. NFC but no USB port. Or Lightning port and USB-C port but no NFC. They’re all designed to attach to a keyring, so having ‘the one’ that works everywhere you need it is the ideal.
This latest offering is that ideal combo – wide compatibility across modern environments with the peace of mind a physical token brings to your most important accounts. For $90 it’s a great opportunity to put peace of mind on every important account in your life.
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Seamus runs Byteside. You may also have spotted his words at the Australian Financial Review, the ABC, Junkee, Gamespot, The Esports Observer, CNET, Gizmodo and a few other spots over the years. He's very happy that he gets to nerd out for a living.
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