Password-less login for Microsoft Accounts
Password-less login is since Windows 10 1809 available via the Edge Browser and also the Edge on Chromium browsers. But why should I login via a FIDO2 device like a Yubikey 5?
I hope that I can clearify some things up for this topic.
So I bought a Yubico Yubikey 5 NFC at Bol.com and configured it for my Microsoft Account.
What is a FIDO2 security key?
A FIDO2 key is not to be confused with a FIDO U2F security key, which works as a second authentication factor for a password. The FIDO2 security key replaces both but works much like a U2F key by using public key cryptography.
The user only has to press a button on the security key to log into a website if they use a browser (such as Edge) that supports the WebAuthn web API, which connects the FIDO 2 hardware to a website’s server.
How to setup a FIDO2 Key for your Microsoft account?
- First you need to have Windows 10 1809 and a supported Yubikey
- Start your Edge (or Edge Chromium) browser
- Sign in to your Microsoft Account at https://account.microsoft.com
- Go to the “Update your security info” tile
- Click on the “More security options” tile
- Click on “Set up a security key”
- Choose your type of security key. I will choose for USB device.
- Create a PIN for your security key
- Touch the golden sensor of the security key
- Click on Allow at the popup
- Give your security key a name
- And you’re all set
- Now sign out of your Microsoft account and try to sign in again with your security key. That should work.
At this moment the YubiKey 5 is not yet supported to log on into Windows 10. Hopefully this will be supported soon.
My conclusion
Uhm….. Oké, the Yubikey is handy to login at the Microsoft websites without filling in a password. But I had already the Authenticator App installed and configured for my Microsoft Account.
You can use the Yubikey at multiple computers. Login with the Yubikey is a little bit faster then login with the Authenticator App.
If you have some other question or comments about the Yubikey, leave them behind here below and I will contact you as soon as possible.