Google joins 2 Factor Authentication physical key suppliers

[LSW]

Many of you may know or have at least seen advertisements for YubiKey, this is a physical USB key you insert into your PC or keyboard and allows you to open private accounts. It is a form of Universal 2 Factor Authorization (U2F) or 2FA (drop the Universal).

If you use Google's app and when you sign into email you put in a code it gives you, that is software based 2 factor authorization. It simply means two things must match you before you get into accounts so just knowing you password is not enough. It can also be an SMS to your phone, or an application asking on your mobile device if it is you trying to get in.

YubiKey and now Tutan Key from Google are simply the same thing using hardware. You must insert this key for example and use your password to reach accounts. The Military uses this in some places, corporations and federal governemnt. It may be a chip in an id card.

Google is now going to be releasing Titan as a cheaper alternative to YubiKey, the likely leader in the industry and do so for only $20-$30.

Titan Security Keys - Google launches its own USB-based FIDO U2F Keys

https://thehackernews.com/2018/07/google-titan-security-key-fido.html

Quote

These hardware-based security keys are thought to be more efficient at preventing phishing, man-in-the-middle (MITM) and other types of account-takeover attacks than 2FA via SMS, as even if your credentials are compromised, account login is impossible without that physical key.

Earlier this week Google revealed that its 85,000 employees have been using physical security keys internally for months and since then none of them have fallen victim to phishing attacks.

Compared with the traditional authentication protocols (SMS messages), Universal 2nd Factor Authentication (U2F) is extremely difficult to compromise that aims to simplify, fasten and secure two-factor authentication process.

A physical security key adds an extra layer of authentication to an account on top of your password, and users can quickly log into their accounts securely just by inserting the USB security key and pressing a button.