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Yubico Launches First YubiKeys With Biometric Authentication
October 2021 by Marc Jacob
Yubico announced the general availability of the YubiKey Bio Series, the first YubiKey series that supports fingerprint recognition for secure passwordless and second factor logins. Built for biometric authentication on desktops, the YubiKey Bio Series supports modern FIDO2/WebAuthn and U2F protocols, in both USB-A and USB-C form factors. The YubiKey Bio is available for purchase today on yubico.com at a retail price of $80 for the USB-A form-factor and $85 for the USB-C form-factor. Premium tier YubiEnterprise Subscription customers can also experience YubiKey to YubiKey Bio upgrades.
In keeping with Yubico’s innovation and design philosophy, the YubiKey Bio does not require any batteries, drivers, or associated software. The new security keys integrate with the native biometric enrolment and management features supported in the latest platforms and operating systems. Once a YubiKey Bio is set up, users will experience secure second factor and passwordless logins for desktop-based FIDO-supported services and applications.
The YubiKey Bio Series reimagines biometric authentication on a security key. Its three chip architecture allows the biometric fingerprint material to be stored in a separate secure element which delivers enhanced protection from physical attacks. The YubiKey Bio acts as a single, trusted hardware-backed root of trust which allows the user to authenticate with the same key across multiple desktop devices, operating systems, and applications.
The YubiKey Bio enables biometric login on desktop with all applications and services that support FIDO protocols and works out-of-the-box with Citrix Workspace, Duo, GitHub, IBM Security Verify, Microsoft Azure Active Directory and Microsoft 365, Okta and Ping Identity. With the growing adoption of modern authentication, Yubico continues to work closely with its partner ecosystem to encourage support of biometric authentication as detailed in the WebAuthn and FIDO2 specs.
Key capabilities of the YubiKey Bio Series include:
• Meets the most stringent hardware security key requirements with fingerprint templates stored in a separate secure element on the YubiKey Bio.
• Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn and FIDO U2F, based on the Yubico invention of enabling one single authenticator to work across any number of applications, with highest level of security, and without sharing any information between services.
• Works across desktop platforms supporting WebAuthn such as Windows, macOS, Chrome OS, and Linux and across browsers such as Edge and Chrome as well as other Chromium based browsers.
• Available as both USB-A and USB-C in Yubico’s hallmark, slim and durable keychain design.
• Offers portability which allows users to switch devices, log into shared workstations, and also support mobile-restricted environments.
• Allows for use of security key PIN for scenarios where biometrics cannot be used.
• Supported by Yubico Authenticator for Desktop app on Windows, macOS and Linux to enrol new fingerprints, add or delete fingerprints when native platform and browser capabilities are limited.
