USB security device authorizes on Mac but not on iPad

TidBITS Talk
1

So this is a technical question that I am throwing out for any insight.

I am in a clinic a few days a week after retirement and thought that I want my practice to be more modern. The practice uses AdvancedMD and a system called DrFirst for controlled substance prescriptions (they need special authorization). I had the system set up first on my portable and used a Symantec VIP USB key to generate the authorization number to get approval for the prescriptions. I was also given a number generator by DrFirst and authorized them both to work. Everything worked fine.

Then I decided I want to go 90% iPad (will still use a portable for virtual visits), and went to set up the iPad and got a USB1 to USBC converter, plugged my security device into it and then went to the DrFirst website to authorize it. Remember, I have already used this device on my laptop and it works fine. I deleted the authorization for the portable (I really can’t keep calling then “laptops”) and then set it up to get authorization for the iPad. I went to the site and walked through the long setup, but it refused to authorize. I could set the field to show the numbers generated, and it is definitely generating a 6 digit number, but would not work through the iPad.

Of course I went to DrFirst to get the problem fixed, but in the end they just said that the device “was not an authorized device”. I now use the Symantec VIP software to generate and that works.

So the question is: what is the difference between the iPad and a Mac portable that a web program will recognize the Mac version of the number but not the iOS version? All software is web based and I have tried different browsers.

I know these devices are not truly random generators but a complex system based on a seed (I assume the device serial number which is used in setup). But what could possibly be the variable here I am missing?

2

This might be the reason why. My guess is that they recognizing that you are coming from an iOS/iPadOS browser through the browser’s user agent data. And what you’re trying to do with your security device on iPadOS is not something they’ve chosen to code for.

As an experiment, go into Safari on the Mac and turn on the “Develop” menu in Settings → Advanced.
Change the user agent in the “Develop” menu from the default to “Safari - iPadOS 16.0 - iPad” and see if you get the same behavior with the security device as on your iPad. If it is, you know the problem is on their side with what they are going to accept as “a supported device”.

3

Interesting. I will give that a try. And if it works, whether the reverse is true.