You can bind a Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) security key to your Alibaba Cloud account to enable secondary authentication for logon and enhance account security. This topic describes how to bind and unbind a U2F security key.
What is U2F?
U2F (Universal 2nd Factor) is a two-factor identity authentication standard developed by the FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) Alliance. It provides a convenient, drive-free, general-purpose password authentication token that adds an extra layer of security beyond a username and password.
After you enable U2F, you must complete the following two verification steps to log on to Alibaba Cloud:
First-factor authentication: Enter your username and password.
Second-factor authentication: Insert your U2F device and verify the security key.
Using a U2F security key helps prevent brute-force attacks and protects your account from security vulnerabilities, significantly improving your account security.
Notes
You can use a U2F security key for logon verification only on a PC.
The U2F security key feature is in public preview. If you successfully bind a U2F security key but are not prompted for U2F authentication at logon, your account is not included in the public preview.
During U2F authentication, if you click Cancel, you must refresh the page and then remove and reinsert the U2F device due to a hardware limitation.
U2F security keys are supported by mainstream browsers such as Chrome 51.0 or later and Firefox 60.0 or later. Internet Explorer is not supported.
Bind a U2F security key
Make sure you have a U2F security key device. You can purchase one from a reputable online marketplace or a specialized retailer.
Log on to the Alibaba Cloud Account Center. Go to the Security Settings page. In the Other Settings section, find the Universal 2nd Factor row and click Bind.
Identity verification is required before you bind the key. Click Send verification code to email, enter the verification code, and then click Submit for verification.
After your identity is verified, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the binding.
The system indicates that the U2F key is bound successfully. You can close the current page. Return to the Account Center and select Bound successfully in the dialog box that appears.
The next time you log on to the Alibaba Cloud Management Console, you must insert the U2F security key for secondary authentication.
Unbind a U2F security key
Log on to the Alibaba Cloud Account Center. Go to the Security Settings page. In the Other Settings section, find the Universal 2nd Factor row and click Unbind.
In the dialog box that appears, click OK. After the U2F security key is successfully unbound, you are no longer prompted for U2F secondary authentication when you log on to the Alibaba Cloud Management Console.
