Yubico announces the release of its Security Key series

Following the announcement of Yubico's YubiEnterprise Subscription program in late 2022, Yubico has now announced the release of its Security Key series products.

The FIDO-only (FIDO2/WebAuthn and FIDO U2F) keys will fit a wide range of devices and be available in USB-A or USB-C formats.

Additionally, the Security Key Series lineup will transition from blue to black in colour, bringing it into alignment with the long-time trusted, iconic look and feel of the flagship YubiKey 5 Series.

The blackSecurity Key Series will include an etching on the back of the devices to differentiate from YubiKey models. The introduction of black Security Keys helps streamline manufacturing as Yubico meets heightened customer demand.

The keys are accessible through the YubiEnterprise Subscription program for enterprises or directly on Yubico's website for customers. The keys also include serial numbers to meet current and future enterprise requirements.

This product release comes as recent changes occurred with Twitter and Apple. Twitter announced that they are no longer allowing accounts to enrol in the text message/SMS method of 2FA unless they are Twitter Blue subscribers.

They also suggested that non-Twitter Blue subscribers use an authentication app or a security key. This followed Apple's announcement on the general availability of security key support for Apple ID accounts.

These updates have signalled a shift in how some companies approach security for their users.

This news comes after Yubico updated its YubiEnterprise subscription program. According to Yubico, there are many benefits to YubiEnterprise Subscription, available in both standard and plus plans, including:

• Lower cost to entry: Gain phishing-resistant MFA for less than the price of a cup of coffee per user per month (OPEX) with additional subscription-only entitlements and discounts built-in.
• Flexibility: Enable user choice to select preferred YubiKeys in subscription tiers over time with options to upgrade as needs evolve. 
• Future-proofed: Ensure security is always prioritised with replacement keys that can be used for employee churn, lost devices, or secure authentication backups.
• Faster rollout: Quickly deploy and protect your workforce and brand, and stay connected to security experts through Professional Services, a dedicated Customer Success Manager, and 24x7x365 Priority Support.
• Seamless distribution: Leveraging YubiEnterprise Delivery, organisations can automate time-consuming tasks such as shipping, inventory management and more.

The YubiEnterprise subscription program is suited for organisations with 500 users or more.

"With the onslaught of today's sophisticated attacks specifically targeting enterprises, these updates will help better equip organisations with hardware-based authentication and complimentary services needed to prevent the constant threat companies are facing. People that use legacy multi-factor authentication (MFA) solutions are at high risk for being hacked," says Jeff Wallace, Senior Vice President of Product, Yubico.

"The intrinsic value of modern MFA has risen given the escalating cyber threat landscape and recent government mandates. With the enhanced YubiEnterprise Subscription, customers get the benefit of all that Yubico offers."

"We continue to set and raise the standard for security strategies by making it easier than ever for companies to protect themselves, their employees, and their customers against malicious hackers and sophisticated attacks like phishing."