Yubico Reveals 265% ROI and 99.99% Reduction in Addressable Breach Risk, According to Total Economic Impact Study
Effectiveness of Yubico’s Technology: $5.3 Million Net Present Value and $7.3 Million in Total Benefits Over Three Years
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – February 4, 2026 – Yubico (NASDAQ Stockholm: YUBICO), a modern cybersecurity company and creator of phishing-resistant authentication keys, today announced the results of a commissioned Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study conducted by Forrester Consulting.
The study, based on interviews with global enterprises employing more than 5,000 staff, found that a composite organisation achieved a 265% return on investment (ROI) and a net present value (NPV) of $5.3 million over three years. These results were achieved by replacing traditional multi-factor authentication (MFA) and one-time passwords (OTPs) with phishing-resistant YubiKeys.
Why Phishing-Resistant MFA Outperforms Traditional MFA
In an era defined by high-quality deepfakes and generative AI–driven social engineering, the study highlights a critical shift in cybersecurity. Traditional MFA alone is no longer sufficient to stop modern MFA-bypass and credential-based attacks.
According to the TEI study, deploying phishing-resistant YubiKeys effectively eliminated phishing and credential-theft risks. As a result, organisations reduced their exposure to breach costs from addressable attacks by 99.99%.
“As AI-driven threats make traditional authentication methods increasingly vulnerable, this Forrester study confirms for us that phishing-resistant MFA is no longer optional; it is now a cornerstone to cyber resilience and a business accelerator,” said Ronnie Manning, chief brand advocate, Yubico. “YubiKeys not only safeguard the enterprise against rising phishing threats, but actually return time to employees to focus on business-critical tasks and reduce the burden on security and IT teams.”
Forrester TEI Methodology and Composite Organisation Profile
The financial analysis was based on interviews with decision-makers at six large organisations across government, telecommunications, and enterprise sectors. Forrester constructed a composite organisation of approximately 5,000 employees to model the economic and operational impact of YubiKeys over a three-year period.
This approach ensures the findings reflect real-world deployment conditions, operational complexity, and enterprise-scale security challenges.
Quantified Financial Benefits of Deploying YubiKeys
The study identified $7.3 million in total quantified benefits over three years, driven by improvements across security, productivity, and IT operations.
How YubiKeys Reduce Credential-Based Breach Risk by 99.99%
Strengthened Security ($1.6M in value): By eliminating phishing as an attack vector, the composite organisation dramatically reduced the likelihood of a successful credential-based breach, one of the most common and costly forms of cyberattack.
Faster Authentication and Improved End-User Experience
Enhanced End-User Experience ($2.2M in value): Users authenticated 80% faster using YubiKeys compared to legacy MFA solutions. The transition to phishing-resistant authentication also enabled the organisation to simplify password policies, saving each user an average of 30 minutes per quarter previously spent on password updates.
Operational Efficiency Gains Across IT and Security Teams
Operational Efficiency ($1.7M in savings): The organisation avoided $912,000 in security and IAM labour costs by reducing time spent investigating credential-based attacks. An additional $476,000 was saved through fewer help desk password-reset tickets, while $321,000 was recovered by retiring legacy MFA infrastructure.
Business Growth Enabled by Stronger Security Controls
Business Growth ($1.9M in value): Improved security posture strengthened brand trust and reputation. This enabled the organisation to meet strict customer security requirements and secure new business opportunities that previously required higher-assurance authentication.
What the Forrester TEI Study Means for CISOs and Risk Leaders
When asked about the financial impact of YubiKeys, a director of information technology and cybersecurity for the government stated: “YubiKeys are a fiscally responsible way to increase your cybersecurity posture.”
A senior manager for cybersecurity at a telecommunications provider added: “Yubico is easy to work with. They had the ability to deliver at the scale and velocity we needed.”
The Role of YubiKeys in Zero Trust and Passwordless Strategies
Beyond financial gains, the study identified YubiKeys as a foundational component for organisations pursuing Zero Trust and passwordless architectures.
YubiKeys support multiple authentication protocols, including FIDO2/WebAuthn, smart card (PIV), and OTP, enabling organisations to secure both legacy systems and modern cloud applications within a single authentication platform.
Scaling Enterprise Security with YubiKey as a Service
To accelerate deployment and reduce operational complexity, Yubico offers YubiKey as a Service, a subscription-based model that shifts capital expenditure to predictable operating expenditure.
The service includes:
- Self-service ordering for end users
- Global fulfilment and delivery options
- Streamlined enrollment for distributed workforces
These capabilities significantly reduce time-to-value while lowering the overall cost of ownership.
Executive Perspective on Achieving Passwordless Security
A Principal Identity Engineer at a technology firm interviewed for the study noted: “Our CEO stated that we are going to be 100% phishing resistant and passwordless. We needed a solution that worked across the full employee lifecycle. The only solution that fit the bill was YubiKeys.”
Looking Ahead: Economic Proof of Phishing-Resistant Authentication
As credential-based attacks continue to dominate the threat landscape, the Forrester TEI study provides quantitative evidence that phishing-resistant authentication is no longer optional. It is a measurable business enabler that improves security outcomes, operational efficiency, and financial performance.
To download the full Forrester Total Economic Impact study, visit: https://tei.forrester.com/go/yubico/yubikeys/?lang=en-us
Yubico will also host a webinar with Forrester on February 24, offering a detailed breakdown of the study and its implications for organisations evaluating phishing-resistant authentication.
About Yubico
Yubico (Nasdaq Stockholm: YUBICO) is a modern cybersecurity company on a mission to make the internet safer for everyone. As the inventor of the YubiKey, we set the gold standard for modern phishing-resistant, hardware-backed authentication, stopping account takeovers and making secure login simple.
Since 2007, we’ve helped shape global authentication standards, co-created FIDO2, WebAuthn, and FIDO U2F, and introduced the original passkey. Today, our passkey technology secures people and organisations in over 160 countries, transforming how digital identity is protected from onboarding to account recovery.
Trusted by the world’s most security-conscious brands, governments, and institutions, YubiKeys work out of the box with hundreds of apps and services, delivering fast, passwordless access without friction or compromise.
We believe strong security should never be out of reach. Through our philanthropic initiative, Secure it Forward, we donate YubiKeys to nonprofits supporting at-risk communities.
Dual-headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and Santa Clara, California, Yubico is proud to be recognised as one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies and Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies. Learn more at www.yubico.com.
About Cyber News Live
Stay ahead with Cyber News Live! First, we deliver real-time reporting and sharp threat intelligence. Additionally, we provide educational content for professionals, practitioners, and curious minds. From there, whether it’s breaking breach alerts or deep dives into attack vectors, we cover it all. Ultimately, our mission is clear: we make complex cyber topics understandable. And beyond that, we ensure critical knowledge stays accessible to everyone.