The key is designed to keep attackers at bay, even if they have your username and password.
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| © Provided by CBS Interactive Inc. Google's Titan USB-C security key costs $40. Google |
By Stephen Shankland, CNET
For those who want the strongest protections against getting their accounts hacked, Google began selling a new model of its Titan hardware security keys
Tuesday that plugs into a USB-C port. The new $40 model will work in
devices with newer USB-C ports -- most notably Android phones that in
the past needed adapters or other wireless techniques.
Hardware security keys are catching on with services from Microsoft,
Google, Facebook, Twitter, GitHub and Dropbox to make it harder for
attackers to gain access to your account. To use them, you typically
have to insert one into a USB port after entering your password. That
stops attackers who might have your username and password through a
security breach. And it's a step toward dumping passwords altogether,
when used in combination with biometric systems like fingerprint and
face identification.
Google's new Titan keys are built by Yubico, a Swedish company that
pioneered the technology and helped Google and others build standards to
use it like FIDO2 and WebAuthn. However, the Titan model -- in addition to being white instead of black like Yubico's own YubiKey products -- has Google's firmware, said Christiaan Brand, a product member of Google Cloud's identity and security team, in a blog post.
Google's
earlier Titan security keys used old-style USB-A ports and Bluetooth or
NFC (near field communication) wireless links. Apple's iPad Pro tablets
have USB-C ports but don't support the keys, at least not yet. Adding a
USB-C option means Google's options are better aligned with the future
of computing ports: USB-C is spreading fast across the tech industry
now.
The keys cost money, though, especially if you're buying a few for work, home, your keychain and a safe deposit box. Google's cheapest Titan key costs $25. Google is trying to make the technology more accessible by letting you use your Android phone as a security key too.
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