Facebook is showing a real commitment to improving user security today with its announcement that it’ll now support USB security keys as part of its two-factor account authentication.
Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your Facebook account. When you attempt to log in to your profile from a new device you’re sent a security code via SMS to enter in addition to your password, making it much harder for someone else to access your account even if they have your standard entry code.
With USB security keys, your second factor of authentication becomes a physical device that you plug into your computer instead.
This does of course mean that you have to carry your security key around with you everywhere in the event that you’ll have to use it, and you also have to make sure you have the latest version of Chrome or Opera installed. But it has the benefit of being more immediate than an SMS.
In addition, they’re also secure against phishing attacks as you don’t have to enter a code yourself and the hardware provides cryptographic proof that it’s in your machine.
