Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) is an open standard for strengthening two-factor authentication. It involves the use of a physical key to reinforce 2FA, hardening your online accounts from attack. In this guide, we’ll explain how to use a Yubikey to lock down your exchange account, email account, and other valuable online accounts.
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U2F Is Physical 2FA for the Security Conscious
If you’re at heightened risk of online attack, say, cos you’re a sysadmin or cryptocurrency trader, you should take steps to secure your accounts. Most bitcoiners already use 2FA, such as the Google Authenticator app, to secure their crypto accounts. U2F takes that to another level by mandating use of a physical key that is inserted into the USB port of your device, or held in proximity to your smartphone if it’s an NFC key. Even in the event of malware being installed on your computer, or your 2FA recovery codes being stolen, a U2F key should keep attackers at bay.
For the purposes of this guide, we’ll be using a Yubikey, one of the most popular devices on the market. (Google, for its part, also recommends the Feitian keys.) Manufacturer Yubico boasts “Zero recorded account takeovers in 11 years” because “the physical key requires a human touch and cannot be remotely hacked.” Lose your key, however, and things get a little complicated, since unlike Google Authenticator, Yubikeys don’t come with recovery codes. We’ll troubleshoot that problem shortly, once we’ve covered the basics.
One Key to Secure Them All
Yubikeys retail for around $50 apiece and, like hardware wallets,
