The SHA-256 algorithm offers superior security compared to SHA-1 due to several reasons. Firstly, it provides stronger collision resistance, making it more challenging for attackers to generate two different inputs that result in the same hash value. Secondly, SHA256 produces a longer 256-bit hash value, providing more security and making it more difficult for attackers to find a collision. Moreover, there are no known successful attacks against SHA256, whereas SHA1 has demonstrated weaknesses, including practical attacks that can produce collisions. As a result, the SHA256 algorithm is the recommended choice for cryptographic purposes and is ideal for use in TOTP security tokens.
The TOTP (Time-based One-Time Password) algorithm for two-factor authentication functions by merging a secret key with the present time to produce a one-time password (OTP). In Protectimus SHARK this password is generated using the SHA-256 hash function, which produces a fixed-length output of 256 bits. The use of SHA-256 makes the TOTP algorithm more secure and less susceptible to attacks, as it is a highly secure hash function that is widely used in various security protocols and applications. The OTP is only functional for a brief stretch of time, which is 30 seconds in the case of Protectimus SHARK, after which a new OTP is created. In order to configure TOTP authentication, it is vital for the device of the user and the authentication server to have the same secret key.
The classic TOTP hardware 2FA tokens come with secret keys that are pre-installed by the manufacturer and cannot be altered. When a user obtains their TOTP hardware token from a vendor, the secret key must be added to the authentication server, which may require the end-user or their system admin to be granted access to the validating server, which is not always feasible. Protectimus SHARK tokens are classic TOTP hardware tokens, you may use them with Protectimus two-factor authentication system or any other authentication system that supports OATH standards.
The Protectimus SHARK TOTP hardware token is an excellent choice for 2FA, providing exceptional security features by supporting TOTP (RFC 6238) and SHA-256 algorithms, meeting OATH standards. The most significant advantage of the Protectimus SHARK TOTP hardware token is its support for the superior SHA-256 algorithm, which provides better protection against cyber attacks.The Protectimus SHARK 2FA security token is an extremely dependable method of authentication. These TOTP hardware tokens function offline, making them impervious to hacking and interception of one-time passwords. Additionally, they have a robust construction and are waterproof, which ensures they have a lifespan of 3 to 5 years.