Canonical has added FIDO2 hardware key support to Launchpad, replacing text-stored tokens with physical security key authentication to protect developer workflows and package uploads from compromised credentials.
Until now, development tools stored digital access keys as plain text files or in computer storage. If an unauthorized user or malicious program found these files, they could use them with the same privileges.
How the new connection works
The new physical security keys replace stored files with a permanent connection locked to the physical device. To connect, a developer now needs to touch the security key and enter a personal PIN. This process issues a temporary digital key for everyday operations.
As Jürgen Gmach pointed out, developers who work on the operating system kernel and those who upload new software packages face greater risks and are a more tempting target.
What's changing in security?
If a malicious program runs on a developer's computer while they are logged in, it can temporarily exploit existing temporary keys. However, it cannot request new access keys without physically being present and touching the security key.
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Only physical USB security keys are currently supported. Wireless keys and digital keys stored directly on devices do not work.
To enable the new feature, interested parties must install the relevant Python software package and follow the instructions available.
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