About the HID Crescendo Key Series
The HID Crescendo Key Series provides strong security by utilizing USB-A or USB-C ports or Near Field Communications (NFC) with the same two-factor authentication, digital and encryption capabilities of a smart card.
The keys comply with OATH-based authentication, the FIDO™ Universal Second Factor (U2F), FIDO2 Client to Authenticator Protocol (CTAP) and Personal Identity Verification (PIV) standards based on public cryptography.
For further information about the HID Crescendo Key Series, go to https://www.hidglobal.com/products/cards-and-credentials/crescendo/crescendo-key
Device Layout
HID Crescendo Key Series are smart USB Keys that are available in the following formats:
|
HID Crescendo Key with USB Type-A connector |
HID Crescendo Key with USB Type-C connector |
|---|---|
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The HID Crescendo Key Series has a single ‘button’ that you must touch to verify your presence.
In addition, for NFC-enabled Android devices, you can simply tap the key against the device to complete authentication (see the diagram above for the location of the key's RFID antenna).
Status Indicators
Multi-colored LEDs indicate the key’s status:
| Status | User Action | LED Color |
|---|---|---|
|
Ready (default) |
Activation on insertion into USB port |
Flashing Red/Green, then off, followed by an Orange flash and then steady Green |
|
FIDO U2F authentication |
At authentication prompt, user pushes button once |
Flashing Red – waiting for user validation |
|
FIDO2 (CTAP) authentication |
At authentication prompt, user pushes button once |
Flashing Orange – waiting for user validation |
|
OTP generation |
User pushes button once |
Steady Red for one to two (1-2) seconds |
|
Digital certificate (PKI/PIV) operation |
User signs or encrypts an e-mail or document |
No LED indicator – waiting for user validation (usually a PIN prompt) |
|
Idle |
No action |
Fast flashing Green every four (4) seconds |
|
USB Suspend mode |
No action |
Off |
- The HID Crescendo is a battery-less device and is powered by the USB connection when plugged in.
- No specific driver or software is required.
The HID Crescendo can be used as standalone devices and can also be managed by HID’s identity access and authentication solutions. In fact, the HID Crescendo is part of the HID Global eco-system with on-premise and cloud management capabilities (ActivID® Credential Management System, ActivID ActivClient®…) for large scale security deployments.
For further information about HID Global's software solutions and eco-system, go to https://www.hidglobal.com/products/software/activid
See Also:
