---
title: "Hardware authenticators"
slug: "oas-pg-hardware-authenticators-3-28"
updated: 2025-10-14T14:19:52Z
published: 2025-10-14T14:55:29Z
canonical: "docs.onespan.com/oas-pg-hardware-authenticators-3-28"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.onespan.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Hardware authenticators

A hardware authenticator is a device specifically designed to create OTP values and digital signatures. Each hardware authenticator can be used for the following authenticator application types:

- Response-Only
- Challenge/Response
- Signature

## Hardware authenticator types

E-signature authenticators

Authenticator devices of this type are typically capable of supporting more than one authenticator application. Some of these authenticators can be programmed so that a PIN must be typed before they generate a one-time password (OTP) or an electronic signature.

Examples: Digipass 760, Digipass 785

Single-button authenticators

This is the simplest authenticator type. An authenticator without a keypad has a triggering mechanism—typically an action, e.g. pressing a button. That action triggers the generation of a one-time password (OTP). Single-button authenticators only have one authenticator application, which is always Response-Only.

Example: Digipass GO 7

DIGIPASS smart card readers

DIGIPASS smart card readers provide two-factor authentication based on smart card technology in a similar way to other hardware authenticator devices. The smart card itself provides the secret used to generate a one-time password (OTP) and electronic signature.

Example: Digipass 870