A "key fob" is an electronic device that calculates a number used for authentication based on the time and date.  Cryptography and/or pseudo-random number generation are two technologies that are often used in key fobs.

Some commercial banks and large businesses use key fobs as an added layer of protection for users who login remotely because it has a very similar effect as one-time passwords except that the user need only read the current number instead of remembering a pre-defined list.

See also

• Authentication
• Password
• Secret
• Security
• Security token

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