Google adds USB key login to Chrome
Google has added a method for logging into Chrome using a USB key. Users can use the USB key as an alternative to the code sent for two-step authentication, Google says.
Users should insert the USB key into their laptop or desktop if Chrome asks for it, Google says in its explanation of the ‘Security Key’. The stick then automatically checks whether the site that asks for a Google login is authentic. If not, it will not issue an authorization. This measure should prevent phishing, says the search giant.
The method only works with laptops, desktops, and some tablets; after all, it requires a USB port. In addition, the USB key must work with the FIDO Alliance’s U2F standard. The hardware also requires Chrome 38 or later.
The USB key is an alternative to two-step authentication based on a generated code. The advantages, according to Google, are that users can always carry it with them and that it does not require an internet connection to apply the authentication.