I have bad news for you. If your password is weak, you are probably going to get hacked. What if I told you there was a key to outsmarting hackers? It’s called a security key. It could be the answer to securing your entire online life.
Why do you need a physical key for the online world? Well, it turns out passwords are outdated. Firstly, they can be guessed even if you do not use a weak password. Chances are, you use the same password across multiple accounts. We all have a ton of online accounts, and you should have a different password for each. If a hacker gets one password, suddenly, they gain access to lots of your accounts.
This is called credential stuffing where hackers test one password on every website they can think of. Maybe they want to access your online banking, or they want to take free rides on your Uber account, and worst scenario they want to steal your entire identity. Yes, using the same password everywhere greatly increases the damage a hacker can cause if they get their hands on it. That is where two-factor authentication comes in.
The idea behind two-factor is simple, you use your password along with something you have, your phone, or a physical USB security key. The first time you log in from a new device you will need your password and you will also need a code that is either generated in an app on your phone, a hardware security key or is sent to you via text. Note, while it’s more secure than just a password, getting a code texted to your phone isn’t the best option. It’s surprisingly easy for someone to remotely steal your phone number and move it to a new device, it’s called SIM Swapping. This is a method hackers can use to get around text message two-factor authentication.
A security key is a physical key that can’t be bypassed or hacked. Even if someone does literally steal your key, they still need to know your account name and password to use it. How this works is, you enter your password as usual, but instead of getting a code via a text or an app, you just pop this key into the USB port and press the button. Security keys prices average $20 to $50. Pairing a security key with a password manager drastically increases your online security. It’s a wise investment for peace of mind considering how much of our lives are online these days. They’re definitely worth the price. Ask yourself, what would happen if someone had just one of my passwords? If you’d like to discuss how to implement these for your business, book a quick call with RTS today.
Hardware Security Key Example:
