On May 12, 2021, YubiOn FIDO Logon, a product that strengthens the security of Windows logon using FIDO2 security keys, was released. In addition, YubiOn FIDO Logon enables two-factor authentication for Windows, a process that will be explored in this article.
While the YubiOn FIDO Logon is intended for companies for ease, this article will follow the example wherein there is a single person who is both a user and administrator.
■Register for the Service
Access YubiOn FIDO Logon and register for the service by clicking the "SIGN UP" button in the upper right corner.
Confirm the contents, agree to the terms and conditions, then click “Next.”
The user will be prompted to enter registration information. While there are fields to enter organizational information for corporate users, we will only require a name, email address, and password for this example.
Upon filling out the form, view the Terms of Use at the bottom of the page, agree to them, then click the “Register” button.
Following this, an email will be sent to the entered email address asking for confirmation. Click on the link in the email to confirm the email address.
Once the following screen appears, registration is complete.
■Download and install the client tool
Next, install the client tool on your PC. To do this, first, log in to the web screen and download the installer.
Enter the email address and password combination set up during registration.
Once logged in, click the “Download” button located under the sub-menu to the left, which is accessed by hovering over the Authentication Services icon.
The client tool will be downloaded by clicking the “Download” button. Here, copy the displayed “Registration Code” as it needs to be entered upon installation.
After downloading, run the downloaded installer file; if the Windows protection function displays the following, click "More info" and press the "Run anyway" button.
After running the installer, the following screen will appear to proceed with the installation as usual.
The installation is now complete.
■Initial Settings and FIDO2 Authenticator Settings
Once the installation is complete, the configuration tool will start automatically. First, a product registration screen will appear, prompting the user to enter the “Registration Code” copied from the download screen.
Upon entering the registration code, the configuration tool will open, wherein the user can set up the FIDO2 authenticator. To do this, select the “Register” button in the “Authentication Settings” window.
A new window will appear containing the registration guide for the authenticator. In this example, Yubico’s Security Key will be used. However, depending on the type of authenticator, one may or may not be required to enter a PIN.
After successful registration, the registered authenticator should be displayed as shown below.
The setup is completed, and the user can now proceed to log in using the FIDO Logon.
■Logon
Upon completing the setup of the settings, the user can log on immediately by holding down the Windows key and pressing the “L” key to lock the Windows screen, prompting the authentication screen to appear.
If this is the first time using FIDO Logon, the screen displayed is likely the standard Windows authentication page. To access the FIDO Logon screen, navigate to the “Sign-in Options” and select the authenticator and finger icons.
Then, follow the on-screen instruction to operate the authentication and enter your PIN. Again, depending on the authenticator, the PIN may or may not be required.
Finally, the user will be prompted to enter their Windows account password once, after which they can log on without a password.
The user can now use their FIDO Security Key with their Windows account through these steps.
■Summary
In light of the recent events following COVID-19, remote work has become increasingly widespread. The YubiOn FIDO Logon aims to strengthen the security of the user's PC to address the growing concerns that accompany increased instances of remote work, such as doubts surrounding the loss of authenticators or stolen computers.
If you and your company are also facing these challenges, we recommend that you install YubiOn FIDO LogOn.
■Regarding the FIDO2 Authenticators
If you require FIDO2 authenticators, please contact us, and we will be happy to assist you with the process. More information regarding authenticators offered by SoftGiken is available here.