Targeted Individuals should consider the use of a hardware authentication key. A hardware authentication key is a physical device that looks and functions much like a usb drive. These hardware authorization keys can be used as part of multi-factor authentication on many websites. Multi-factor authentication is the concept of using your username and password on a site and requiring an additional item (factor) such as your phone’s sms message or authenticator app.
To use a hardware authentication key on your computer, you can plug it into your usb drive. To use it on a phone uses near field communication (NFC), you run the key over the top of an iPhone or over the back of an Android based phone. (NFC’s range is 0 to 5 cm)
The issue that using a phone based authenticator app or sms message presents for targeted individuals is that their phones are often under attack as well, and may be cloned. Having an authenticator app on a potentially cloned or hacked phone is no security at all. A hardware authentication key is a separate hardware device that must be used along with your username and password.
A key consideration presented in my recommendations on this site is that for technology security of targeted individuals, we must consider both the classic outside hacker trying to break into your systems, but we must also consider known routes to gain access to your system such as NSA hardware and software back-doors, as well as server-side systems such as PRISM. Security from without and within. A simple approach focused only on network security or standard simple security considerations will fail with targeted individuals.
Key features to look for in a hardware authentication key –
- FIDO2 support. This is the standard used by most websites and systems.
- NFC support. This allows the hardware authentication key to be used with your phone as well as your computer.
- Open source software. The use of open source software will ensure that the software contains no back doors.
- Country of Origin. In order to minimize the risk of back doors in the hardware, you should pick a device manufactured in Europe.
You may want to consider buying two hardware authentication keys and authorizing them both on your account. If you lose your primary key due to an accident or other damage, your backup key would allow you to retain access to your account. If you lose your only hardware key, you may lock yourself out of your account.
My top picks for hardware authentication keys:
Solo Keys – https://solokeys.com Open source software. Hardware manufactured in Europe. Distribution in US.
Nitrokey – https://www.nitrokey.com/ open source software. Hardware manufactured in Germany, shipped directly from Germany. (Be aware, the shipping costs are very expensive if you go with this option).
Swissbit – https://www.swissbit.com/en/products/security-products/ishield-key/ Swiss based. Distribution in the US.
Once you get your key, a good website to bookmark that provides instructions for how to set up you key with different websites and services is https://www.dongleauth.com
Follow @TargetedTechTlk
