“Accordingly, Yubico has also updated its YubiKey PIV Manager app to offer more straightforward credential provisioning for non-enterprise users, and it’s selling a limited-edition white YubiKey for Apple enthusiasts”
Smart card support has returned to the Apple desktop with the release of macOS Sierra 10.12 operating system, allowing YubiKey users to take advantage.
As Yubico’s Jerrod Chong notes in a post on the company’s website, Apple’s operating system software did support smart cards until 2011, after which users had to turn to often complex third party options to enable such support. But with its latest desktop OS, Apple is offering native support for PIV compatible smart cards.
That means owners of Yubico second-factor keys like the YubiKey NEO and YubiKey 4 can now use their devices for more secure authentication on their Macs and MacBooks. Accordingly, Yubico has also updated its YubiKey PIV Manager app to offer more straightforward credential provisioning for non-enterprise users, and it’s selling a limited-edition white YubiKey for Apple enthusiasts.
Given Apple’s increasing focus on protecting user data as a key part of its brand, the smart card and attendant YubiKey support are timely moves, and should appeal to enterprise and more security-conscious users.
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