Yubico, a cybersecurity company recognized for its development of passkeys, has announced the availability of its YubiKey products in 350 Best Buy stores across the United States. This expansion marks the first time Yubico’s hardware security keys will be widely accessible on retail shelves, following their introduction to BestBuy.com in August 2024. The move aims to enhance consumer access to strong authentication solutions.
Carl Helle, chief revenue officer at Yubico, stated that the expansion to Best Buy stores helps bring phishing-resistant security keys to a broader audience. Helle noted that placing YubiKeys alongside other electronic devices reinforces the idea that protecting digital life is as crucial as the devices themselves, especially in light of modern AI-driven cyberattacks capable of bypassing traditional security measures.
AI-powered cyber threats have increased risks for online accounts by enabling personalized phishing attacks that can circumvent outdated security at speed and scale. YubiKey provides passkey authentication designed to counter these sophisticated threats, offering an alternative to passwords and less convenient multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods such as SMS or app-based codes. Device-bound passkeys in YubiKeys aim to deliver a faster, simpler, and more reliable one-touch security experience, serving as a foundation for more secure passkeys.
A recent survey commissioned by Yubico and conducted by Talker Research indicated that Gen Z is the demographic most susceptible to phishing, with 62% reporting engagement with a phishing scam in the past year. This figure is significantly higher than other age groups across nine countries, including the United States, Australia, France, Germany, India, Japan, Singapore, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, where 18,000 employed adults were surveyed on their cybersecurity habits and concerns regarding AI’s implications for security.
Beyond retail sales, Yubico is partnering with the Best Buy Foundation through its Secure it Forward program to support Best Buy Teen Tech Centers across the U.
S. These centers are community hubs providing young people with access to technology, mentorship, and professional development programs.
Through this partnership, Best Buy Teen Tech Centers will receive complimentary YubiKeys, training guides, and hands-on learning resources. This initiative aims to equip youth with the tools and knowledge to protect their digital identities, fostering safer online habits and long-term confidence in digital security as they transition from students to professionals.
Olivia Jefferson, Vice President of Social Impact at Best Buy, commented on the partnership, highlighting the joint effort to make digital security more accessible for the next generation. Andrea Tharp, Secure it Forward program director at Yubico, added that providing access to the right tools and education is a fundamental step toward building a more secure digital world, reinforcing Yubico’s mission through its collaboration with the Best Buy Foundation.
YubiKeys are available for purchase at Best Buy stores and BestBuy.com. They can also be purchased on Yubico.com/store and through additional partners globally, including Amazon.com, Staples.com, and Walmart.com.
Yubico, dual-headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and Santa Clara, California, has been involved in shaping global authentication standards since 2007, co-creating FIDO2, WebAuthn, and FIDO U2F. The company’s passkey technology is utilized by organizations and individuals in over 160 countries, providing phishing-resistant, hardware-backed authentication.
