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YubiKey Nano

Neil J. Rubenking
 & Neil J. Rubenking Principal Writer, Security

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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YubiKey Nano - Security Devices

The Bottom Line

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Pros & Cons

YubiKey Nano Specs

OS Compatibility: Windows 7
OS Compatibility: Windows Vista
OS Compatibility: Windows XP
Tech Support: Free email and phone support; paid support packages available.
Type: Business
Type: Enterprise
Type: Personal
Type: Professional
All Specs

Editor's Note: Product not yet reviewed by PCMag Editors.

Yubico specializes in providing two-factor security authentication. After you enter a standard username and password, the protected site or app prompts you to insert the YubiKey and touch its activating button. Doing so sends a one-time password that completes the authentication process. At the recent 2012 RSA Conference, Yubico unveiled a new version, the minuscule YubiKey Nano ($40, direct).

The YubiKey Nano acts as "a simplified Trusted Platform Module (TPM)." However, unlike a standard built-in TPM the YubiKey Nano features a touch button for user presence verification and can be moved from one computer to another. It fits almost entirely inside a USB port and can also be inserted in the Apple Camera Connection Kit, becoming "an integrated authentication solution for iPad users."

Users typically carry the standard YubiKey on a keychain. Unless a laptop thief also picks your pocket, lack of the YubiKey will keep him out of your protected applications. The YubiKey Nano, on the other hand, is designed to stay in the USB port, which means it offers less protection than the standard device. Yubico CEO Stina Ehrensvard explained that Yubico developed the Nano based on user requests. Using it is decidedly more convenient than digging out a keychain. It prevents any kind of remote login without the user's presence and also prevents multiple logins to the same account.

Yubico reports more than a million YubiKey users worldwide, with customers ranging from individuals to Fortune 500 companies. The popular LastPass password manager supports YubiKey authentication. YubiKey Nano is currently available from the Yubico Web store for $40.

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Final Thoughts

YubiKey Nano - Security Devices

YubiKey Nano

None

Product not yet reviewed by PCMag Editors.

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About Our Expert

Neil J. Rubenking

Neil J. Rubenking

Principal Writer, Security

My Experience

When the IBM PC was new, I served as the president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years. That’s how I met PCMag’s editorial team, who brought me on board in 1986. In the years since that fateful meeting, I’ve become PCMag’s expert on security, privacy, and identity protection, putting antivirus tools, security suites, and all kinds of security software through their paces.

Before my current security gig, I supplied PCMag readers with tips and solutions on using popular applications, operating systems, and programming languages in my "User to User" and "Ask Neil" columns, which began in 1990 and ran for almost 20 years. Along the way, I wrote more than 40 utility articles, as well as Delphi Programming for Dummies and six other books covering DOS, Windows, and programming. I also reviewed thousands of products of all kinds, ranging from early Sierra Online adventure games to AOL’s precursor Q-Link.

In the early 2000s, I turned my focus to security and the growing antivirus industry. After years of working with antivirus, I’m known throughout the security industry as an expert on evaluating antivirus tools. I serve as an advisory board member for the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), an international nonprofit group dedicated to coordinating and improving testing of anti-malware solutions.

The Technology I Use

Much of the testing I do, particularly testing with real-world ransomware, is just plain dangerous. To perform such tests safely, I sequester them inside virtual machines managed by VMWare Workstation. For cross-platform testing, I use a MacBook Air, a Google Pixel 4, and a 6th-generation iPad.

I rely on my Delphi coding skills to create and maintain small applications. These include programs to check whether an antivirus correctly handled the malware it detected, launch dangerous URLs and record the security program’s reaction, and analyze the malware that I collect for use in testing. I also wrote a tiny browser and text editor for use in testing security apps that have predefined reactions for known products.

I do my writing and research on a Dell OptiPlex desktop, relying on Microsoft Word (my fingers know all the shortcuts). Many of my articles include charts and analysis; Excel is my go-to for those. When work hours end, though, I escape the bounds of Microsoft and Windows. There’s an iPhone in my pocket, I relax with my oversized iPad, and my Kindle Oasis is always loaded with the best science fiction and fantasy.

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