Re:Google: Security Keys Neutralized Employee Phishing
by akerl_ on Monday July 23, 2018 @11:08AM
(#17593258)
Depends how you use the yubikeys.
They support x509 certs, which use PINs. Whether it needs the PIN once-per-session, once-per-15seconds, or once-per-use is configurable. The number of failures before it locks is also configurable. More details can be found here: https://developers.yubico.com/PIV/Introduction/
They also support TOTP/HOTP, where the computer asks the device for a code based on a secret key that the device knows. This can require a touch of the button.
EDIT: TOTP/HOTP modes do support a password, as cimnine pointed out. I'd forgotten about that setting.
Yubico OTP is similar to TOTP/HOTP, and is the mode where the yubikey emits a gibberish string when pressed. The string gets validated by the server against Yubico's servers. This does not require a PIN.
The U2F mode does challenge/response via integration with Chrome and other apps. The app provides info to the USB device about the site that's requesting auth, then you press the device and it sends a token back. This is critical to the phishing protection: barring any vulns in the local app (which have happened before), you can't create a phishing site that will ask my Yubikey for a challenge that you can then replay against the real site. This mode requires physical touch but no PIN.
They support x509 certs, which use PINs. Whether it needs the PIN once-per-session, once-per-15seconds, or once-per-use is configurable. The number of failures before it locks is also configurable. More details can be found here: https://developers.yubico.com/PIV/Introduction/
They also support TOTP/HOTP, where the computer asks the device for a code based on a secret key that the device knows. This can require a touch of the button.
EDIT: TOTP/HOTP modes do support a password, as cimnine pointed out. I'd forgotten about that setting.
Yubico OTP is similar to TOTP/HOTP, and is the mode where the yubikey emits a gibberish string when pressed. The string gets validated by the server against Yubico's servers. This does not require a PIN.
The U2F mode does challenge/response via integration with Chrome and other apps. The app provides info to the USB device about the site that's requesting auth, then you press the device and it sends a token back. This is critical to the phishing protection: barring any vulns in the local app (which have happened before), you can't create a phishing site that will ask my Yubikey for a challenge that you can then replay against the real site. This mode requires physical touch but no PIN.