However, they are currently not compatible with desktop-based applications such as, Office (Word, Powerpoint, Outlook and Teams). Hardware tokens, like Yubikeys, are generally designed with browser-based applications such as, Office365, Gmail, and Banner Admin Pages. For LEA 2-Step, the hardware token must be WebAuthn compatible.Īlthough YubiKeys are convenient, we recommend the use of the Duo Mobile App if you have a smartphone. You can purchase Yubikeys (or similar) tokens from online retailers such as and .

However, the use of Yubikeys is not limited to LEA 2-Step and can be used for securing personal services such as Gmail.

Yubikeys have to be individually purchased by you and will not be issued by the university. Each device has a unique code built on it, which is used to generate codes that help confirm your identity. Instead of a code being texted to you, or generated by an app on your phone, you press a button on your YubiKey. YubiKeys on iOS are now also eligible for Google’s Advanced Protection Program for even more security options for their services.The YubiKey is a type of hardware token that makes LEA 2-Step as simple as possible. That means Google Accounts, Nest accounts, YouTube, and Meet and other things that Google owns can all be protected via YubiKeys on any Apple device you may have. This is a big deal because it now allows iOS users to use the security key to protect Google-related data. YubiKey didn’t support WebAuthn for iOS devices until June 2020, when they officially updated their platform. WebAuthn is Google’s own protocol for two-factor authentication. YubiKey even came out with a version of the key last year that included an Apple Lightning port connection to make a connection with iPhones and iPads easier.īut one important piece was missing: WebAuthn compatibility. Recently, that has begun to change, especially when it comes to mobile devices. Yes, you could use them to log into your Mac with the right ports, but Yubico’s focus was always on the Google side of security. Traditionally, YubiKeys haven’t been interested in fully supporting iOS or macOS.

Yubikey for gmail