What is a FIDO device?

A FIDO device is a device that resembles a usb stick. It is an additional security layer to a password.

It’s also suitable to provide additional security for your social media or crypto exchange accounts.

It is a good idea to use a FIDO device if you want to log in to different websites or platforms securely and without much hassle.

The purpose of FIDO

FIDO is an abbreviation of the FIDO Alliance. This is a grouping and non-profit organization that wants to make authentication more secure, but at the same time simplify it.

The FIDO standard (Fast IDentity Online) defines a fast and secure authentication for users to access their online accounts with websites and apps.

Central to FIDO’s strategy are dongles, which work according to the U2FA principle.

With FIDO U2FA dongles you log in securely to a website. It is an ideal solution to avoid the use of passwords, which are always a bit weak if you want to remember them easily.

If you use a password manager, it is also safe to add a FIDO device.

FIDO is designed to:

• Eliminate the hassle of remembering passwords
• Make it easier to log in
• Provide additional privacy protection

U2FA

U2FA is the abbreviation for Universal Second Factor Authentication.

With a Universal Second Factor device (FIDO U2F device) you add an extra hardware layer to your authentication process.

It is therefore not possible that someone who happened to get your password can also log in to your account, because logging in also requires a FIDO device.

FIDO2

Recently, in addition to the FIDO standard, there has also been an FIDO2 standard.

This is actually an update of the original specifications. It is based entirely on open standards from the CTAP and the W3C.

What is striking is that even less use is made of passwords and that logging in is even possible without two-factor or multi-factor authentication.

FIDO2 is fully committed to the use of PINs and biometric recognition such as fingerprints etc.

How to use a FIDO device?

A FIDO device is always a second factor when logging in.

You start by installing the accompanied app on your computer or smartphone. Such an app lets you configure the use of your device. Most of the times you can also configure what happens if you lose your device.

Once configuration is done, you can start using it to login to your online accounts.

To login to a website you first need to enter a password. After that you are guided to a screen where you need to use the FIDO device.

You put your FIDO device in a usb port of your computer and you push the button of your device to complete the login.

Login to crypto exchanges, social media, web 2.0, personal services and more by simply touching a button

SafeKey FIDO2 is a premier U2F hardware device providing secure logins to websites like Google and Facebook or of course other personal systems.

Configure your SafeKey once by linking it to your online accounts. From that point you can confirm each login by a simple push on a button.

Click here to learn more about SafeKey »