Facebook has long advocated additional steps to better protect the safety of your online accounts including ‘two-factor authentication’; when you log into Facebook from a new phone of browser you enter a special code from your phone in addition to your password. But SMS has it’s limitations so Facebook is taking things a step further with with yesterdays announcement about “Security Key”
They state:
“Using security keys for two-factor authentication provides a number of important benefits:
Phishing protection: Your login is practically immune to phishing because you don’t have to enter a code yourself and the hardware provides cryptographic proof that it’s in your machine. Interoperable: Security keys that support U2F don’t just work for Facebook accounts. You can use the same key for any supported online account (e.g. Google, Dropbox, GitHub, Salesforce), and those accounts can stay safe because the key doesn’t retain any records of where it is used. Fast login: If you use a security key with your desktop computer, logging in is as simple as a tap on the key after your enter your password.”
They add:
“You can register a physical security key to your account so that the next time you log in after enabling login approvals, you’ll simply tap a small hardware device that goes in the USB drive of your computer.”
Security keys can be purchased through companies like Yubico for $18.00. For more information visit Facebook, Yubico and there is this video: