A PIN is bound and used to unlock an authenticator. A PIN is different from a password as a password is used for authentication to resources and is not bound to a physical device. The PIN is a secret the user should never share.

The YubiKey supports numbers or letters as does the Windows operating system. Definitions TermĪ Personal Identification Number (PIN) is a set of characters used to unlock the smart card for use. Administrators should understand a few key terms used when discussing smart card management. Smart card management systems or individuals can leverage the PUK to unlock and reset a user’s PIN. The PIV (Personal Identification Verification) Standard that the YubiKey follows, uses a PIN Unlock Key (PUK) that is used to unlock the user’s PIN. The smart card industry has thought hard about the user experience and built accommodations into the standards for dealing with PIN lockout issues. A well thought out plan helps mitigate any login issues a user might encounter and allows the employee to return to work quickly. A locked or forgotten PIN should not be a frequent event, but when it happens, it can be difficult for the user to recover quickly. PINs will become locked after a number of failed login attempts.

Under normal usage, PINs are not required to have a change policy as they do not perform authentication to resources. As part of planning to use YubiKeys as smart cards, it is important to address the potential scenario of a locked or forgotten PIN. Gaining these advantages requires planning. The use of smart cards can improve a user’s authentication experience and reduce Service Desk calls. Smart cards provide for strong authentication using an easy to remember PIN to authenticate a user.

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