How do you secure your Windows PC? With a password or a pin?

You don’t need me to tell you that securing your system is extremely important. It helps protects data and user account from unauthorized access. What you might not know though is that securing your PC with just a pin or password might not be enough.

Why is that so? You may wonder.

The answer is both are vulnerable to various attacks and can be compromised if certain security measures are missing.

For example, PINs are generally shorter and numeric, making it easier for attackers to crack them using brute-force methods.

While passwords are typically longer and more complex, a phishing attack can trick you into revealing it. In addition, many people have the bad habit of using the same password across multiple accounts. As you may guess, if an attacker manages to break into one account, they can swiftly access other accounts too.

So, what’s the solution? You may ask.

The answer may lie in converting a USB drive into a security — simple yet effective.

Why add a USB security key to Windows login process?

The advantages of adding an extra layer of protection above and over a PIN or password by using a USB security key are twofold.

One, it provides an additional encrypted physical verification. In simple terms, attackers cannot gain access to your computer if they don’t have the security key, even if they crack the login password or PIN.

Two, if your laptop ever gets stolen, the bad guys will not be able to use them since they don’t have the USB security key.

How to secure your Windows computer with a Secure USB key?

If you want to use the native methods in Windows for setting up a USB key, a FIDO2 compliant physical key — such as YubiKey, Google Titan, or Yubico — is needed. These keys cost anywhere between $20 and $50.

Once you’ve bought a FIDO2-compliant physical key, perform these steps:

• Type settings in the search bar in the task bar and hit Enter
• Click Accounts in the left pane and then click Sign-in options

• Click Security key and then the Manage button below it

After you’ve configured the local user account to require a USB security key, you’ll need to plug the FIDO2 compliant USB for all future logins.

What happens if your security key is lost, damaged, or stolen?

Like any physical thing, a USB security can get lost, damaged, or stolen. If that happens, you should still be able to log in to your computer, provided you’ve set up a recovery code or another form of multi-factor authentication.

Keep in mind you cannot afford to lose both the USB security key and the recovery codes because then you could be potentially locked out of your computer permanently. For this reason, it is crucial you store them in a secure place and well away from your computer.

What else can I do to keep my Windows computer safe from hackers?

Using a robust antimalware tool is a must, as is browsing the internet safely, which includes using HTTPS, avoid clicking on pop-up from unknown websites, and being cautious with downloads, among other things.

Another thing that you can do is keep your device drivers up-to-date. Old drivers not only slow down your computer and trigger compatibility issues, but they may also contain vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. If you’re wondering how you can update your device drivers hassle-free, the answer is by using a reliable third-party tool. We recommend you give Driver Updater a try. It is 100% accurate, super-fast, and very easy to use.

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

• You can update device drivers automatically
• The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
• The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
• Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

 

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