A USB token, sometimes called a dongle, is a security token that works with the USB interface on a computer. It can also be called a hardware authenticator because it is a hardware device that is used for two-factor authentication or strong authentication. It is the “something you have”, used along with a PIN or password, the “something you know”.

The token holds multiple types of credentials, including multiple certificates, key sets, finger-based biometric templates, user names and passwords and software token seed records. One of the advantages to using a USB token is that a smart card reader is not required.