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Provisioning and authentication process specialist and developer of the v-GO Access Accelerator Suite, Passlogix, announced v-GO Universal Authentication Manager, a strong authentication solution that enables Microsoft Windows to accept any identification device for logon – including door access (RFID) badges, government-issued citizen identity cards, standalone or built-in laptop biometrics, one time passwords via mobile phones, and question and answer sequences.
Microsoft Active Directory is used for data storage and administration. The company noted organizations that are already using authentication devices such as proximity badges for door access could achieve additional savings by using those same devices for Windows logon, theoretically removing the need for additional device investment to secure network access.
v-GO UAM is available both on a standalone basis at $15 per user and as part of Passlogix’s v-GO Access Accelerator Suite; volume discounts are also available. The company said the first release would support a range of cards including smart cards, door access cards and government-issued identification cards. Support for biometrics, question and answer validation (challenge and response) and other methods will be available shortly thereafter, the release noted.
Users who have door access badges, for example, simply tap their badge on a badge reader attached to their computer and enter a PIN code. They tap their badge again to lock their computer or log out. Users with smart cards, such as government-issued identity cards, insert and remove their card from the smart card reader in the computer. Passlogix said the solution was particularly applicable for organizations that are subject to data protection regulations such as HIPAA, PCI DSS and FISMA.
“Until now, organizations that wanted to use strong authentication for Windows logon had to pay more than $100 per user for the supporting software and servers. They were also usually limited to one type of authentication device, had costly changes of the back-end infrastructure if they wanted to switch authenticators, and had to impose a confusing logon process on their end users,” said Stephane Fymat, vice president of strategy and product management for Passlogix. “By solving these problems with a universal device strategy, simple interface and affordable non-proprietary back-end, v-GO UAM finally makes it possible to deploy strong authentication enterprise-wide.”
The solution runs on an open architecture that supports any type of device from any manufacturer, roaming capabilities and eliminates the need for dedicated servers. While v-GO UAM can be deployed on a standalone basis, v-GO UAM and v-GO Single Sign-On (v-GO SSO), the company’s enterprise single sign-on solution, can also work together to enable users to be re-authorized to sensitive applications with the same identification device they used to log on to Windows. “Many organizations require the flexibility to maintain a mix of password and stronger authentication credentials, depending on the risk profile associated with each use case and its community of users,” said Phil Schacter, vice president and service director for Burton Group Security and Risk Management Strategies.