HardwareAuthentifikatoren

Hardware authentication uses dedicated hardware components to verify identity by performing cryptographic operations with securely stored keys. The topic is broad and includes devices of varying form factors, from embedded secure elements to standalone tokens. The central idea is to keep private keys in a protected environment and to authorize access only after a challenge–response exchange that cannot be easily replicated by software alone.

Key components include trusted platform modules (TPMs) in computers, secure elements in mobile devices, smart cards, and USB security keys implementing standards such as FIDO U2F and FIDO2/WebAuthn. These devices generate, store, and use private keys inside tamper-resistant hardware and may support attestation to prove the security properties of the device.

Standards and practice: WebAuthn and FIDO2 define how browsers and services interact with hardware authenticators for passwordless logins and phishing-resistant authentication. PKI-based smart cards and HSMs remain common in enterprise and government settings for strong authentication and digital signatures. In many deployments, hardware authentication complements other factors, enabling multi-factor schemes that include something the user has.

Advantages include stronger phishing resistance, passwordless operation, and reduced credential theft. Limitations involve higher cost, key management challenges, potential loss or damage of tokens, and compatibility or recovery issues. Ongoing developments focus on broader support, backup mechanisms, and tighter integration with identity and access management ecosystems.