Instead of using passwords to access websites, JAR lets you login or register with the touch of your finger.
With seemingly a new data breach emerging every week, cybersecurity has become a key concern among a majority of consumers. Despite these incidents, many people still rely on stupidly simple passwords. Just how simple, you ask? Take a look at this recently-revealed list from 2014. The problem with these codes is that most, if not all, of us are pretty bad at remembering them, and with so many different ones for different sites, we rely upon insecure behaviors.
Fortunately, one German startup has devised a solution to the ever-growing password epidemic with a coin-sized gadget. Equipped with its own fingerprint reader, JAR connects to your mobile device via its audio jack, enabling you to securely access your online accounts with a single touch. Just how secure are we talking? Its creators claim that the encryption is so strong that it would take a hacker 6.4 quadrillion years to access your data.
The JAR, which is tiny enough to be attached to a keyring, runs an asymmetrical encryption method based on a pair of 2048-bit RSA keys. To gain entry, gently place your finger on its built-in biometric reader and presto! Because each message is encrypted separately, there’s no way to derive one message from the previous message; each encrypted message broadcasted is non-deterministic and pseudorandom.
“Your devices will only unlock for the most recent message, so a hacker is unable to unlock your devices by re-broadcasting an old message,” the team explains. “Only devices that you’ve set up with your JAR will have the ability to interact with it. A device still has to verify its legitimacy through an automatic encrypted handshake in order to interact with your JAR.”
Should you lose your JAR, not to worry as it can be easily deactivated. When this occurs, a message is immediately sent to all of your devices, letting them know that they should not prompt access to your accounts safeguarded by the lost piece.
Looking ahead, JAR will also offer a range of services including reliable cloud storage, an offline data vault, and an encrypted messenger, among several others from third parties. At the moment, JAR is available in two colors (soft white and dark grey) as well as two different sizes (1.6” and 1.4”).
Ready to forget about passwords? Head over to JAR’s Kickstarter page, where the team is currently seeking $108,305. Units are expected to begin shipping in January 2016.
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