Editing Security token (section)

{{Short description|Device used to gain access to restricted resource}}
{{Disputed|date=November 2024|details=Review the definitions of "Security Token" and "Security Token Generator".}}
[[File:RFkey.jpg|thumb|A [[Radio-frequency identification]] card used to open a door.]]

A '''security token''' is a [[peripheral device]] used to gain access to an electronically restricted resource. The token is used in addition to, or in place of, a [[password]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Schink |first1=Marc |last2=Wagner |first2=Alexander |last3=Unterstein |first3=Florian |last4=Heyszl |first4=Johann |date=2021-07-09 |title=Security and Trust in Open Source Security Tokens |url=https://tches.iacr.org/index.php/TCHES/article/view/8972 |journal=IACR Transactions on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems |pages=176–201 |doi=10.46586/tches.v2021.i3.176-201 |s2cid=235349083 |issn=2569-2925|doi-access=free }}</ref> Examples of security tokens include wireless [[keycard|key card]]s used to open locked doors, a banking token used as a digital authenticator for signing in to [[online banking]], or signing transactions such as [[wire transfer|wire transfers]].

Security tokens can be used to store information such as [[passwords]], [[cryptographic key]]s used to generate [[digital signature|digital signatures]], or [[biometric]] data (such as [[Fingerprint|fingerprints]]). Some designs incorporate [[tamper resistance|tamper resistant]] packaging, while others may include small [[keypad]]s to allow entry of a [[Personal identification number|PIN]] or a simple button to start a generation routine with some display capability to show a generated key number. Connected tokens utilize a variety of interfaces including [[USB]], [[near-field communication]] (NFC), [[radio-frequency identification]] (RFID), or [[Bluetooth]]. Some tokens have audio capabilities designed for those who are vision-impaired.