--- title: Optimised authentication methods for Ubuntu Desktop description: Alternatives to passwords provide a streamlined user experience while significantly improving security. url: https://canonical.com/blog/optimised-authentication-methods-for-ubuntu-desktop?format=md --- 1. [Blog](https://canonical.com/blog) 2. Article --- [Kris Sharma](https://canonical.com/blog/author/krissharma "More about Kris Sharma") 14 August 2020 # Optimised authentication methods for Ubuntu Desktop [NIST](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/nist) [Security](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/security) [Ubuntu Desktop](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/ubuntu-desktop) --- Share the article Still counting on passwords to protect your workstation? When set up properly, alternatives to passwords provide a streamlined user experience while significantly improving security. These alternative authentication methods can also easily be combined to create a custom and adaptive authentication profile. This whitepaper introduces three popular authentication methods that provide a solid alternative to passwords. Perhaps you’d like to configure your laptop for login using a YubiKey hardware token connected to a dock. Another option could be to login with a Duo push notification when not connected to the dock, but use a Google Authenticator one-time password when no network is available. Maybe you need a separate hardware token just for ssh authentication, and you always need to keep a long, complex password for emergency authentication should all other methods fail. All of these scenarios can be easily configured within Ubuntu. Highlights of this whitepaper include: * Configuration instructions for Yubikeys, the Google Authenticator app and Duo push notifications * Guidance on using Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) within Ubuntu * Planning and testing strategies for creating a multi-factor authentication experience * An overview of NIST guidance (NIST 800-63 series, *Digital Identity Guidelines*) to aid in building an authentication plan [Download this whitepaper on optimizing your authentication experience](https://ubuntu.com/engage/desktop-authentication-whitepaper) to see how to combine Yubikeys, the Google Authenticator app, Duo push notifications with traditional passwords to create that custom authentication experience. Download Whitepaper: ## Sign up for our newsletter Get the latest Canonical news and updates in your inbox. Work email: \*I agree to receive information about Canonical's products and services. By submitting this form, I confirm that I have read and agree to [Canonical's Privacy Policy](https://canonical.com/legal/dataprivacy). Sign up ## Share on --- ## Related posts [### Canonical joins the Open Secure AI Alliance](https://canonical.com/blog/open-secure-ai-alliance) Canonical is now part of the Open Secure AI Alliance, announced by NVIDIA with partners across cloud computing, cybersecurity, enterprise software, open source foundations, and... [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical) 28 August 2026 [### Arduino® VENTUNO™ Q is available for pre-order with Ubuntu pre-installed](https://canonical.com/blog/arduino-ventuno-q-is-available-for-pre-order-with-ubuntu-pre-installed) London, UK – August 25, 2026 – Following our initial collaboration announcement in March 2026, Canonical and Arduino (a subsidiary of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.) are excited... [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical) 25 August 2026 [### Januscape vulnerability CVE-2026-53359 mitigations available](https://canonical.com/blog/januscape-linux-vulnerability-mitigations-available) Introduction A local privilege escalation (LPE) vulnerability affecting the Linux kernel was publicly disclosed on July 6, 2026. The vulnerability was assigned CVE ID... [seth-arnold](https://canonical.com/blog/author/seth-arnold) 11 July 2026 [### DirtyClone Linux kernel local privilege escalation vulnerability fixes available](https://canonical.com/blog/dirtyclone-linux-vulnerability-fixes-available) On June 25, 2026, JFrog published their research into CVE-2026-43503, referring to the vulnerability as DirtyClone. The vulnerability had previously been responsibly disclosed... [Luci Stanescu](https://canonical.com/blog/author/lucistanescu) 1 July 2026