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Release Notes - 2Factor and WebAuthn

Overview

Linkidex now supports 2Factor and Webauthn. This means you can use things like google authenticator or yubikeys to secure your Linkidex account.

Details

2 Factor Authenticators such as Google Authenticator or Authy now work with Linkidex. You can register your authenticator on your account page within Linkidex. WebAuthn is also supported as a second factor. You can register multiple WebAuthn devices as your second factor. Are you on your phone and want to be able to use your phone’s face unlock? Register it on Linkidex! Have a Yubikey and want to use it on Linkidex? Register it! Want to use your fancy laptop’s fingerprint reader? Register it!

I recommend anyone using WebAuthn also register a 2 Factor Authenticator so you don’t get locked out of your Linkidex account if something happens to your WebAuthn device, or if you need to access Linkidex on a device you haven’t registered a WebAuthn method on.

What are 2 Factor Authenticators?

2 Factor Authenticator Apps are applications such as Google Authenticator, or Authy, or Duo Mobile. For a given login, they generate unique codes every X number of seconds. A user has to type in their password, and then type in the code that is currently being generated by their authenticator app in order to login.

What is WebAuthn

WebAuthn is the future of security, or at least I hope it is. WebAuthn is more secure than traditional 2 Factor Authenticators, and it is more convenient, as you can use hardware such as your phones face scanner, your laptops fingerprint scanner, or physical keys such as a Yubikey (which is what I use). Another really cool thing about WebAuthn is that it can completely replace username & password login. In the next couple years it is expected that major online players such as google or Microsoft will start supporting passwordless authentication, which will make the internet both more secure and easier to use.

Email me david@linkidex.com with questions / concerns / feedback.

~ David