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Is YubiKey Smart Card Minidriver 4.6.3 required for YubiKey Firmware 5.7+?
- Yes, for YubiKey Firmware 5.7 and later, it is recommended to use the YubiKey Smart Card Minidriver version 4.6.3 or newer. The updated minidriver ensures compatibility with the latest firmware versions, providing necessary support for new features and enhancements introduced in the newer firmware.
- Using the recommended version helps to ensure that all functionalities work as intended and that you can take full advantage of the improvements in the firmware.
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Is 4.6.3 compatible with older YubiKeys?
- Yes, the YubiKey Smart Card Minidriver version 4.6.3 is compatible with older YubiKeys. YubiKey Smart Card Minidriver was designed to be backward-compatible, meaning that newer versions of the minidriver will continue to support older YubiKey models and firmware versions as well as the newer ones. This ensures that you can use the latest software updates without losing functionality for your existing YubiKeys.
- New features added in 5.7, including 3072 and 4096 RSA keys, will not be available on older YubiKey firmware.
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If 5.7 YubiKeys are used with older version of the Minidriver, what are the impacts?
- Due to changes in the firmware such as the default encryption of the management key from Triple-DES to AES, YubiKey Smart Card Minidriver versions older than 4.6.3 are not compatible
- Compatibility Issues: New features and enhancements introduced in firmware 5.7+ might not be supported by older versions of the minidriver. This could result in some features not functioning as expected or not being available at all.
- To ensure optimal performance, security, and full functionality, it is recommended to use the YubiKey Smart Card Minidriver version 4.6.3 or newer with firmware 5.7+ YubiKeys.
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Are there short-term workarounds for using 5.7 with older versions of the Minidriver?
- No, Due to changes in the firmware such as the default encryption algorithm of the management key from Triple-DES to AES, YubiKey Smart Card Minidriver versions older than 4.6.3 are not compatible. It is highly recommended to update to the latest version of the minidriver to support all YubiKeys up to and including firmware 5.7.
Release Date: May 21, 2024
Version 4.6.3.252 adds support for the YubiKey firmware 5.7+ across all form factors, expanding support for larger RSA Keys (3072 & 4096) in addition to other general enhancements.
For a comprehensive list of changes in this release, refer to YubiKey Smart Card Minidriver release notes.