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Endpoint data protection and management specialist Code42 announced enhanced security and productivity features in the company’s Edge Platform, which powers Code42’s CrashPlan enterprise endpoint backup and SharePlan enterprise file sync and share.
The company’s two-factor authentication access-challenge for logins increases the level of security required to access sensitive corporate data managed by CrashPlan and SharePlan.
CrashPlan endpoint backup and SharePlan file sync/share applications give users continuous, real-time file protection and access to data across a variety of devices and platforms.
By requiring a combination of two types of identification—for example, a known password and a security code received on a separate device—Code42 can authenticate user identities.
The company also strengthened the security and simplicity of the login process with SSO across the Code42 Edge Platform.
“Data security concerns are on the rise—take the constant influx of news about high-profile data breaches. CIOs are more concerned than ever about security, and specifically, they’re worried about whether their business data is adequately protected and backed up,” Ann Fellman, director of product marketing at Code42, told eWEEK.
Fellman explained single sign-on provides an increased level of security for the enterprise by limiting the number of ways credentials can be compromised; since CrashPlan and SharePlan users sign in using just one shared set of enterprise login credentials, they save time and avoid the frustration of memorizing and entering multiple passwords for different applications.
This type of setup can also reduce the amount of time IT spends supporting lost user names and passwords.
“Two-factor authentication access-challenge is the standard for identity authentication because it more reliably ensures that only authorized users have access to company data,” she said. “With two-factor authentication access-challenge, which requires a combination of two types of identification—for example, a known password and a security code received on a separate device—organizations can more reliably verify users’ identities to safeguard against breaches and unauthorized access.”
In addition, Code42’s broadened support for SAML 2.0—a common standard that facilitates these integrations—enables IT organizations using multiple identity providers to integrate these solutions with the Edge Platform.
This single point of integration makes it easier for CrashPlan and SharePlan customers to use the Code42 platform alongside identity management providers such as Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS), Centrify, Ping Identity and Okta.
With this added feature, working with multiple identity providers within the Code42 platform is a simple configuration activity in the Code42 administration console.
“In 2015, we will continue to see an increase in concerns over the vulnerability of data to security breaches, and businesses will take added measures to hedge against such threats,” Fellman said. “Two-factor authentication, single sign-on and integration with multiple identity management providers are three particular features customers consider essential to endpoint data security and protection.”
She pointed out that given the volume of high profile breaches in the news lately, organizations should also expect an increased concern over privacy, which will in turn spur enterprises to move more of their data into private and hybrid cloud environments, even if data is stored in the public cloud, encryption keys are stored on-premises, behind the firewall.
“We are already seeing this trend among our own customers; in the past year, 80 percent selected private or hybrid cloud deployments over pure public cloud,” Fellman said.