Gmail added user authentication with Security Key

If you use two-factor authentication on your Google account, now you can simplify the task of logging into your Gmail account. Recently, the developers have added support for the hardware security key, Security Key.

This device can replace the 6-digit confirmation code entered in the second step of two-factor authentication. Passwords of the first step remain, so that an attacker who gets someone's Security Key will not be able to log into the account without entering a login / password.
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Actually, many small services, mainly payment, use the ability to authenticate using a key-gadget, but now this is the first attempt of a popular service like Gmail to add similar functionality.

As for the Security Key itself, getting such a device is not very difficult: many manufacturers create compatible devices, the price of which ranges from $ 6 to $ 50. The purchase will not be in vain, because now services such as PayPal, Samsung and Alibaba are planning to introduce or have already introduced a similar authentication scheme.

It is worth noting that the Security Key is based on open standards, so that a similar architecture could be used in wireless tokens, Bluetooth or NFC.

Anyway, Google and other companies are now moving away from the standard of authentication with the help of a username / password pair, gradually making user accounts increasingly secure.

Via theverge