To allow the YubiKey to be compatible across multiple hardware platforms and operating systems, the YubiKey appears as a USB keyboard (among other devices) to the operating system. This design provides several advantages including:
- Virtually all mainstream operating systems have built-in USB keyboard support.
- Since the YubiKey uses generic keyboard drivers, there are no special drivers that need to be installed to use the YubiKey.
- In organizations where USB ports are blocked for security concerns, the use of USB keyboards, and therefore the YubiKey, is still permitted.
- You do not have to manually enter an OTP generated by the authentication device on the authentication screen by the application(s). As a YubiKey user, you just need to click within the input field for the OTP and touch the YubiKey's capacitive touch sensor. In addition to reducing the time spent on authentication, this also assists in avoiding potential human errors when entering an OTP.