YubiKey Bio Series Fingerprint USB Key Released To Public At Last

This week the folks at Yubico released the YubiKey Bio to the general public for the first time. This is the USB-docked fingerprint scanning security key system that was first previewed to the world back at Microsoft Ignite 2019. Now this key system is available in two iterations, one with USB-A, the other with USB-C, both with fingerprint readers.

The YubiKey Bio series works with FIDO protocol support, WebAuthn, and U2F. This new system works with fingerprint authentication in the place of previously released systems' PIN code. At the same time, should a user's fingerprint not register (due to a dirty finger or any other oddities as such), the YubiKey Bio can also log in using the aforementioned PIN.

Users of earlier YubiKey devides will find the size and shape of YubiKey Bio familiar. This new hardware has the same water resistance as previous keys, as well as "durability" for long-lasting use.

A Yubico Authenticator for Desktop app is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. This app allows fingerprint enrollment and deletion and further management. Per Yubico, fingerprint templates derived from fingers touching the key, stored, and matched on "a separate secure element that helps protect against physical attacks." Yubico assures users that "fingerprint materials never leave the YubiKey Bio Series."

Services that work out-of-the-box with YubiKey Bio Series include Microsoft Azure Active Directory and Microsoft 365, Citrix Workspace, Okta, Duo, GitHub, IBM Security Verify, and Ping Identity. The YubiKey Bio Series works with all desktop applications and services that support FIDO2, WebAuthn, U2F.

Both the YubiKey Bio FIDO Edition in USB-A and USB-C are available for purchase now. The release price for the USB-A version of the YubiKey Bio FIDO Edition is $80, and the USB-C version is $85 USD. Yubico has a wide variety of keys for all sorts of different situations available, too, over at Yubico right this minute.