eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
MobileIron, which specializes in cloud security and mobile app distribution software, on June 26 launched a new mobile application that enables organizations to verify a user’s identity using a smartphone as a second factor of authentication.
MobileIron Authenticator differentiates itself from existing MFA (multi-factor authentication) platforms by providing a one-touch set-up process for end users, uses smartphones instead of hardware tokens. It also integrates MFA into a routine security workflow, the company said.
According to the 2018 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, compromised credentials are the top cause of reported data breaches. To fix this problem, many organizations are now adding multi-factor authentication as additional evidence to confirm a user’s identity for access to company data.
Traditional MFA, however, uses hardware tokens that are easily lost or software tokens that require inconvenient activation through QR codes. Neither of these is an ideal user experience, MobileIron contends.
MFA is a wide-open market. Competitors to MobileIron include Duo, Centrify, Okta, OneLogin, Akamai, RSA (which uses tokens) and several others.
“Multi-factor authentication is often a silo in a company’s security workflow, a separate solution that requires custom integration and creates frustration for end users,” Vijay Pawar, Vice President of Product Management at Mountain View, Calif.-based MobileIron, said in a media advisory. “Authenticator integrates MFA into the broader security workflow and simplifies adoption by end users.”
Key benefits of the platform include:
User adoption: Automated, one-touch activation simplifies user adoption, so employees can focus on getting work done, not figuring out how to use MFA.
Quick access: User login can be confirmed within seconds using push notifications on MobileIron-secured smartphones, simplifying the access experience.
Intelligent authentication: Authentication flows are now dynamic and based on context, so that device, app, network, and user trust are considered together to enable smarter authentication decisions.
Integrated security workflow: With the addition of MobileIron Authenticator, the MobileIron Access solution now brings MFA policies into a rich security workflow that already includes adaptive access and single sign-on for mobile apps.
MobileIron Authenticator is available now for Android devices, with iOS planned for later, the company said. Go here for more information.