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Are NFC hardware tokens (Yubikey, NitroKey) less secure than USB-only ones? If so, how to mitigate? (thebrainbin.org)
submitted 3 months ago by to c/cybersecurity@sh.itjust.works
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Yubikey and NitroKey offer NFC and non-NFC versions of their flagship hardware security tokens (HSTs).

NFC is convenient, but can under some circumstances send e.g. challenge-response exchanges in clear text.

Smartcards using RFID, a similar though not identical protocol, can be queried from ~100cm away.

  • Are there other ways are NFC HSTs are known to be more risky than their non-NFC counterparts?
  • Should users store NFC HSTs in RFID-blocking pouches, like those used for wireless car keys or contactless bank cards?
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[–] 3 points 3 months ago

You can disable the NFC or USB transport per protocol on yubikeys with the yubikey manager. I can imagine that the nitrokey can do that too. So if you don't want to use NFC just disable it.

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