Yubikey Open Source USB Security Key with the Funny Name

Yubikey is launching a new security key which using a pretty novel concept for added system and online security. The USB key has a single button that sends a time based key to a password input. This system hopes to be another factor for security and authentication. Time based, the same key will never be sent twice aka OTP (One Time Password). This should defeat even the most effective keystroke loggers. The Yubikey effectively generates a highly encrypted string that it transmits upon the touch of its single button. Given that the site or application you are using has been programmed to decrypt the key this should make for a very effective digital signature. Password management site Lastpass.com has already integrated it into their system so that you can add this addition layer of security there. It is also OpenID compatible.

Effectively driverless, the Yubikey is shaped like a flash drive but it emulates a keyboard as far as your PC or Mac is concerned. Pressing the sole button sends the encrypted data as a long keystroke of AES-128 encoded data. Combined with this simple approach and the fact that their code is open source all you really have to commit to is the hardware. This will lower the bar for any organization that was considering other systems like SecureID. Authentication servers are generally open source projects and freely down-loadable and they are also have an RFID enabled Yubikey for integrating or consolidating existing security standards. You can order the regular Yubikey for $25 and the RFID Yubikey for $35.