What is a Hard Token? Hardware Security Tokens Vs Soft Tokens | UpGuard

This article explains the role of hardware tokens in multi-factor authentication, contrasting them with software tokens, detailing connected vs. disconnected types, and describing how they’re issued and used within organizations. It outlines benefits (higher security, user management, physical access control) and drawbacks (cost, impact of compromise), presents phone-as-a-token as a hybrid alternative with its own risks, and concludes by highlighting how UpGuard’s external attack surface management can support broader cybersecurity posture.