Security hardware maker Yubico AB has introduced a new addition to its device portfolio.

The Swedish company, whose authentication keys are used by the likes of Google LLC and Facebook Inc., on Monday launched the YubiKey 4C Nano. It’s a USB Type-C drive about the size of a dime that ranks as Yubico’s smallest device yet. The company said the key is a convenient way for tech-savvy users to securely log into online services.

Companies use Yubico’s devices as a replacement for push notifications and other traditional means of performing multifactor authentication. On top of streamlining the log-in experience for users, the keys are fairly easy to deploy thanks to a cloud-based validation service. Plus, a physical security token has the inherent advantage of being a trickier target for hackers than, say, an Android smartphone running the Google Authenticator app.

YubiKeys work with a wide range of services. Workers can employ their device to log into G Suite, Salesforce.com, Dropbox and hundreds of other popular cloud applications. The series is also compatible with the Hello passwordless authentication feature Microsoft Corp. offers in Windows. 

Then there are the more specialized use cases that Yubico targets. Most notably, a “touch-to-sign” feature that the company originally introduced in 2015 lets developers digitally sign their code to prevent tampering.

The YubiKey 4C Nano improves upon the core feature set with a patent-pending connector design aimed at improving usability. Thanks to the enhancement, users can keep the key docked to their machine when they’re at a safe location, such as the office, to speed up authentication. Moreover, Tom’s Hardware reported that Yubico plans to add support for the USB Type-C authentication protocol further down the road. 

The YubiKey 4C Nano is available for $60. Enterprises have the option to place bulk orders and receive their devices in trays of 50. The keys can be customized for an organization’s specific security requirements using specialized software downloadable from Yubico’s website.

Image: Yubico