YubiKey 5Ci is the first hardware security key for iPhone

By Alex Choros

Last updated 24 September 2019

Yubico today launched its first iPhone-ready hardware security key, the YubiKey 5Ci, in Australia. The dual pronged device has a Lightning connector on one end, a USB Type-C connector on the other end, and is compatible with any iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, or PC with an appropriate port.

Before we go further, it's worth explaining what exactly a security key is. Security keys are kind of similar to actual keys, in that they're used to unlock things. But in this case, they unlock digital things. More specifically, security keys are becoming an increasingly popular "second factor" for Two Factor Authentication (2FA).

2FA is when a website requires a second form of verification to log in after you input your password. For example, a website might send you a code via text message, which you then have to type in to verify your account.

A security key replaces the need for these text messages or even a separate authenticator app. In some ways, a security key is probably the safest option when it comes to 2FA, as it's a physical object - not easily co-opted by unfriendly hackers. There's even a point you have to tap every time you use your YubiKey, because a machine can't spoof physical touch.

The use of a hardware security key does however require services and apps to support it. Google and Microsoft have pretty comprehensive support for hardware authentication, but Apple only natively supports it in macOS, rather than on iPhone.

This makes the YubiKey 5Ci a little ahead of its time. Developers can give their apps support for hardware security keys, but this has to be done on an app-by-app basis, rather than on an operating system level. For example, Brave is the only browser on iOS that supports security keys. Hopefully we'll see Apple add iOS wide support for hardware 2FA in a future update.

At the very least, you can consider the YubiKey 5Ci pretty future-proof, and the USB Type-C connector makes it a versatile option. If you're interested, it will set you back USD$70 direct from Yubico.