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I added a hardware security key to my MacBook, and it made my logins faster and safer

For the past few months, I've been alternating my laptop usage between a Surface Pro 9 and an M2-powered MacBook Air.
There's always a bit of an adjustment when switching between platforms, but I found one aspect of the MacBook especially frustrating: After a restart, I have to enter the local user account password before I can use the TouchID fingerprint recognition hardware.
Also: The best security keys: Expert tested and reviewed.
Specifically, you need a USB security key that supports the Personal Identity Verification standard and can act as a smart card for login purposes.
As it turns out, anything in the YubiKey 5 series from Yubico meets these standards.
Now, I just happen to have a few of these versatile keys hanging around, so I decided to make my MacBook a little easier to use, with their help.
I started with a YubiKey 5 Nano, which is a remarkably small gizmo that plugs into one of the MacBook's two USB-C ports and sticks out just a tiny fraction of an inch.
That's it on the far right in this family photo of the YubiKey 5 series.
I could have used a more traditional key that's designed to be plugged in and removed at the end of a session, but I was especially attracted to this device's capability to remain plugged in without my having to carry it separately.
How to set up your YubiKey on MacOS. Step 1: Download the YubiKey Manager app and install it on the Mac.
Set up for MacOS. Open YubiKey Manager, click Applications > PIV, click Setup for MacOS, and then click Setup for MacOS. This process pairs your hardware key with the certificates associated with the PIV application, turning your key into a MacOS-compatible smart card.
You'll need to enter the hardware key's PIN, followed by the password for your MacOS user account, followed by the password for your iCloud Keychain.
The next time you restart your MacBook, you can type your PIN instead of having to enter your password.
Also: I tried two passwordless password managers, and was seriously impressed by one.
If the YubiKey isn't inserted when you restart, you'll be prompted to enter your password.
You can plug in the key to change that prompt and use your PIN instead. In this configuration, you can safely change your password to be longer.


This Cyber News was published on www.zdnet.com. Publication date: Wed, 03 Jan 2024 15:43:04 +0000


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