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For me, the problem with YubiKeys is not the normal usage. That works great.

The problems are the "corner" cases: enrolling new keys, removing old keys, handling unintentional destruction of the key. The last one, in particular, is really problematic.

Some of the security mechanisms that a YubiKey provides are an extreme inconvenience. For example, I want to be able to clone my key via some mechanism in case it gets destroyed. I don't want to have to enroll 3 separate keys in every service on the planet just in case I put one in the wash accidentally. That's not possible with a YubiKey--for good reason--but it's a significant annoyance.

We consider "duplicating a physical key" such a common need that we have automated machines to do it at 7 Eleven. The fact that we don't have the same consideration of digital ones is problematic.



Yubikey was even planning working on a FIDO extension that would allow that for a while, but I don't think it went anywhere.

It's a real shame, as I'd also love "Yubikey twins" of which I can put one in a safe deposit box and have the other one always with me, without needing to periodically synchronize them to all services I'm using them on.




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