Google Account Security with YubiKey | Yubico (2024)

FAQs

How do I secure my Google Account with YubiKey? ›

Simple Setup

Easily register your YubiKey with Google. Go to Account settings, select Sign in & Security, select 2-Step Verification, and Add Security Key.

Google's Advanced Protection Program safeguards the personal and work Google Accounts of anyone at risk of targeted attacks—journalists, activists, business leaders, and political campaign teams—with mandatory enforcement of physical security keys such as the YubiKey.

Protecting employees and customers with strong 2FA

Today, Google not only protects employees with the YubiKey but has also integrated support for the YubiKey and FIDO U2F security keys into the available security protections for all Google users.

Authenticator apps provide a layer of security and are a convenient option for use by many, but they are still vulnerable to phishing due to the 30-second window. Security keys, like the YubiKey, are considered to be both more convenient and more secure.

Titan Security Keys are compatible with the Advanced Protection Program, Google's strongest account security offering that helps safeguard personal and work Google Accounts of anyone at risk of targeted attacks.

Passwordless authentication: A YubiKey allows users to securely log in to their online accounts without the need for a password, relying solely on the physical YubiKey. This not only simplifies the login process but also significantly reduces the risk of password-related breaches.

Do I need to keep my yubikey plugged in all the time? A. No, you only need to insert your yubikey when you are prompted to do so during login. Leaving it plugged in could result in the yubikey being lost or damaged.

Can You Use One YubiKey for Multiple Accounts? As someone who values security and convenience, I often wonder if it's possible to use one YubiKey for multiple accounts. After researching and experimenting, I've found that the answer is yes, it is possible.

Enroll in the Advanced Protection Program to get Google's strongest account security. Advanced Protection is recommended for people with a higher risk of targeted online attacks.

The YubiKey Advantage

Hardware keys are so great because they come on unidentifiable USB sticks. What that means is, should anyone find a lost YubiKey that doesn't belong to them, they can't figure out what device it corresponds to.

Can YubiKey be trusted? ›

Stop account Takeovers

YubiKeys are trusted by the world's largest companies and users have experienced 0 account takeovers.

Security keys are a more secure second step. If you have other second steps set up, use your security key to sign in whenever possible. If a security key doesn't work on your device or browser, you might see an option to sign in with a code or prompt instead.

The fundamental problem is that, the QR-code that is shown to you on screen, is the very private key of your Google Authenticator set up. If that QR-code is snatched, any person on earth can generate your one time passwords without you even knowing. It's a fake sense of security you can't trust.

It is costly to design, mould, manufacture, sell and support a hardware product, even something as small as this. Since you don't want your 2FA company to go out of business there is good value in knowing they have a stable business model that can actually support a company rather than just burning capital.

The YubiKey 5 FIPS certified security keys meet the highest level of assurance (AAL3) of the new NIST SP800-63B guidelines.

A strong password should be at least 14 characters long. Do not share your codes: You should never share your Google Authenticator codes with anyone, including family members or friends. Sharing your codes can compromise the security of your account.

Chrome offers a simple, secure, and fast experience to browse the web – with Google's smarts built-in. Chrome automatically protects users from security threats like phishing and dangerous sites, and incorporates native support for YubiKeys with U2F and WebAuthn APIs.