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Global Accelerated Learning • Est. 1999
Glossary Term Universal 2nd Factor U2F

Training Camp • Cybersecurity Glossary

What is Universal 2nd Factor U2F?

Universal 2nd Factor U2F is a FIDO hardware security key standard using public-key crypto for phishing-resistant two-factor authentication.

Glossary > Identity & Access Management > Universal 2nd Factor U2F

Understanding Universal 2nd Factor U2F

Universal 2nd Factor U2F is an open authentication standard developed by the FIDO Alliance that strengthens two-factor authentication using hardware security keys that communicate over USB, NFC, or Bluetooth. U2F uses public-key cryptography and binds each credential to the website's origin, providing strong protection against phishing and man-in-the-middle attacks because credentials cannot be replayed against a fraudulent site. U2F was later incorporated into and superseded by the FIDO2 and WebAuthn standards, where it persists as the CTAP1 protocol.

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