What Happens If You Lose Your YubiKey
For decades, organizations have relied on passwords as the cornerstone of their security infrastructure. Despite their widespread use, passwords persist as one of the most significant vulnerabilities in the identity management landscape, with weak, reused, or compromised passwords remain a leading entry point for cyberattacks. In fact, industry research reveals identity-based cyberattacks have become the top global cybercrime attack vector.
As technology advances and cyber threats grow more sophisticated, the limitations of password-based security become increasingly evident, highlighting the urgent need for more robust authentication methods, such as two-factor authentication (2FA).
What is 2FA?
2FA is a security process that requires users to verify their identity using two forms of identification before gaining access to an account or system: something they know (e.g., a password or PIN) and something have (e.g., a physical protection key). 2FA methods like SMS, email codes, and push notifications have been actively discouraged by NIST, CISA in recent years because of their proven exploitability while hardware tokens like YubiKeys (made by Yubico, an Axiad partner) are inherently “phishing-resistant” and can withstand these attacks.
These key-based systems for 2FA (or more frequently, MFA for “multi-factor authentication”) provide significant benefits to the business, including:
- Stronger Security – Even if a password is compromised, the attacker still needs the second factor to gain access.
- Protection Against Phishing– Phishing attacks that steal passwords are less effective when a second factor is required.
- Enhanced Compliance – Many industries require 2FA to meet regulatory standards.
MFA keys reduce the risk of external attackers exploiting passwords to access systems and accounts, providing IT and security teams with greater confidence in preventing authentication-related breaches. However, it introduces a different concern—what happens if employees lose access to their second factor? While it's understandable to worry about losing a second factor, the inconvenience is far less risky than the potential for a compromised password to fall into malicious hands.
YubiKey Recovery Methods
A YubiKey is a small hardware authentication device. Users plug it into the USB port of their computer to gain access, or, for phones and YubiKeys that are near field communication-enabled, they simply tap the YubiKey against the phone to complete authentication.
The good news is you can almost always recover a YubiKey. There are several ways to do so—each with its own set of advantages and risks—and the route you take is dependent on your configuration, so it’s important to think through recovery during the initial phases of adoption.
When organizations first roll out YubiKeys, the IT team faces critical decisions about how employees can recover access if their YubiKey is lost, stolen, or damaged. These recovery methods can significantly impact both security and user experience, and the balance between convenience and risk must be carefully managed.
Here are several options to consider along with the pros and cons of each:
- Backup YubiKeys – IT departments may choose to give employees a secondary YubiKey to store in a secure location in the event the primary key is lost. This option is highly secure because the physical possession of the key is required, and it allows employees to recover quickly without IT intervention. One disadvantage to this approach is that distributing and managing YubiKey backups can be costly and complex. Additionally, if employees misplace the backup, this method is rendered ineffective.
- Recovery codes – During initial setup, employees receive a set of one-time-use recovery codes that allow login if their YubiKey is lost. Here too, employees can control recovery without asking IT for help. However, codes—like passwords—can be lost or stolen, introducing the risk of compromise.
- Password or PIN resets –Similar to recovery codes, employees may be given the option to reset their access by verifying their identity through a PIN, password, or other credential. This is a very simple and quick way to initiate access in a self-service fashion, but if passwords and PINs are weak, they can introduce vulnerabilities and undermine the security benefits of using YubiKeys. Password resets via email can also introduce the risk of phishing attacks.
- Help desk verification – Organizations may opt to have employees contact IT support to verify their identity and receive a replacement YubiKey or temporary access. While the first three options allow employees to initiate access on their own, this method requires IT intervention, which can be time-consuming and delay employee access—depending on the IT support queue. However, it’s arguably the most secure recovery option, as it provides a high level of oversight, reducing the risk involved in the verification process
It’s worth noting that a robust credential management system, integrated with and running in tandem with the Yubikey deployment, can manage all these options. And different tools, like Axiad Conductor's MyCircle feature, provide different levels of self-service and automation when using Yubikeys. But if none of these options are available to your organization, you can always fall back on authentication via biometrics (e.g., fingerprints, facial recognition, etc.) or a mobile app as a secondary factor. You can also contact Yubico to start the process of getting a replacement key.
Balancing Security and Usability
When deciding which approach above is best for your organization, the answer largely revolves around a single question: How much risk is the business willing to tolerate for the sake of easy and fast recovery?
While ease of recovery is critical to maintaining productivity, it can introduce vulnerabilities if not implemented thoughtfully. Conversely, making recovery overly complex can frustrate users and lead to poor security practices, such as sharing credentials or avoiding YubiKey use altogether.
Organizations must evaluate their risk profile and workforce needs to strike the right balance. In high-security environments, stricter recovery protocols (like IT support involvement) may be essential. In less sensitive contexts, recovery codes might suffice.
The bottom line is YubiKey recovery isn’t as simple as pushing a button. IT teams must carefully consider all the factors outlined in this post to develop a YubiKey recovery process that enhances security without compromising operational efficiency.
Do you want to learn more about 2FA, multi-factor authentication (MFA), phishing-resistant MFA, or credentials management? If so, Axiad experts are standing by to help. We work day-in and day-out to remove the complexity from authentication and credential management, and can help you pave a path to enhance security without overburdening your IT team or impacting productivity. Don’t settle for basic protections anymore. Request a demo or contact us today.