The new YubiKey 5 security keys offer physical protection for your data

The password-less future is here now.

Keep your accounts safe and leave behind inconvenient passwords with the new Yubico YubiKey 5 Series multi-protocol security keys. Yubico has been making security keys for a while now, but the YubiKey 5 is the first to support the new FIDO2 standard, USB-C, and NFC, among other things.

The idea behind these keys is to reduce our dependence on passwords for authentication. Even two-factor authentication is really just a second layer of passwords, which can be uncovered, phished, and found out. Hardware, in the form of these security keys, adds a whole new level to keeping your data safe. Someone on the Internet thousands of miles away cannot take much from you if they need the physical security key you hold in your hand to do it.

The YubiKey 5 comes in a variety of form factors, including the 5C Nano, which features a USB-C connection in a super small profile for $60. These smaller keys are designed to stay in your computer and not move around much, and they work well with devices that need the low profile like a laptop.

The flagship of the series, though, is the YubiKey 5 NFC. This device covers all the major security protocols, including FIDO2, UTF, and more. It fits any USB-A port and is built for durability with water and crush resistance. The newest feature is NFC, something Yubico has not done before. With NFC and USB-A connectivity, you'll be able to use this one key for all your devices, including your desktop, laptop, mobile devices, tablets, and more. In practice, the more security keys you have the higher the chances of losing one and making your system vulnerable, so limiting it all to as few keys as possible is really important.

Google has recommended the Yubico security keys for years, but with the FIDO2 protocol becoming standard and more consumers pushing for hardware tokens like this, you can now actually buy a $50 Google security key called the Titan. This key will do much of the same things as the YubiKey 5 and even includes a Bluetooth fob for use with phones that don't have NFC.

See at Yubico