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Yubico releases limited-edition clear YubiKey 5Ci Lightning/USB-C security key

The world’s first security key to feature both USB-C and Lightning connectors gets a new twist.
Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Contributing Writer

A year ago, Yubico released the world's first security key to feature both USB-C and Lightning connectors. The YubiKey 5Ci Lightning/USB-C security key has now been released in a new "Clear Limited Edition" version.

The new version is the same as the existing version but for one difference -- the high-security internal components have been encased in a transparent durable fiberglass-reinforced housing rather than the standard black housing used for other YubiKeys.

YubiKey 5Ci Clear Limited Edition


The limited-edition clear YubiKey 5Ci retails for $70, the same as the regular black version.

Yubico YubiKeys are compatible with a huge list of services and apps -- from password managers such as LastPass and 1Password, to services such as Twitter, Login.gov, GitHub, Bitbucket, CloudFlare, AWS, Dropbox, and more. The YubiKey 5Ci supports a wide range of protocols -- FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, OTP (one-time-password), PIV (Smart Card), and OpenPGP.

I've been using a YubiKey 5Ci since its release last year, and it has become an invaluable part of my security. Hardware-based authentication is far superior to SMS-based 2FA, and the fact that I can use a single key on a whole raft of different devices -- iPhone, iPad, Macs, Android devices, and Windows PCs -- means that I'm no longer juggling a handful of keys.

YubiKey 5Ci: USB-C and Lightning Security Key

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