Abstract: A technique provides a secret to authenticate a user. The technique involves storing, by processing circuitry, an initial secret in local memory. The technique further involves receiving, by the processing circuitry, a release command after the initial secret is stored in the local memory. The technique further involves, in response to the release command and based on the initial secret, outputting a released secret through an audio jack which is coupled to the processing circuitry. With such a technique, the secret is only exposed in response to user actuation thus providing improved security against an attacker vis-à-vis a conventional authentication token which constantly generates and outputs a series of one-time use passcodes (OTPs) on a display based on a seed stored in memory.