Yubico YubiKey Bio authentication dongle uses biometrics for added security on Windows, Mac, and Linux
Portable hardware authentication dongles are pretty darn cool -- they can be a great way to secure access to various devices, applications, and services using hardware. Google offers its own Titan security keys, for instance, but the search giant likely isn't the first company that comes to mind for these products. Actually, Yubico is probably the name most associated with authentication dongles.
Believe it or not, Yubico's popular YubiKey devices have not yet been offered with biometric support. Thankfully, this changes today. You see, the all-new YubiKey Bio features a fingerprint reader for an added level of security. Not only must you physically have possession of the YubiKey Bio to use it, but you must prove you are its owner by scanning your finger.
Yubico previews its first ever biometric YubiKey at Microsoft Ignite
With system breaches coming thick and fast these days, it makes sense to take additional steps to protect your online accounts. One of the best ways to do this is with a YubiKey, a USB device which provides hardware-based two-factor authentication.
It’s a great -- and affordable -- way to protect your online accounts, and while you can also use it to log into a local account in Windows with the right software, you can’t use a Yubikey to log you into a Microsoft account (although the key can boost its security). That’s about to change. Today, at Microsoft Ignite, Yubico previewed its first ever security key with fingerprint recognition -- YubiKey Bio.