Works with AnyAuthentication Device; Lowers Costs of Strong Authentication

Passlogix^®,Inc., has announced v-GO Universal Authentication Manager (v-GO UAM),the first strong authentication solution that will enable Microsoft Windows toaccept any identification device for logon – including door access (RFID)badges, government-issued citizen identity cards, standalone or built-in laptopbiometrics, one time passwords via mobile phones, and question and answersequences. The solution provides fast and secure network access for users andlowers the cost of back-end strong authentication infrastructure in corporatenetworks from more than $100 to just $15 per user.

According to PhilSchacter, Vice President and Service Director for Burton Group Security andRisk Management Strategies, “Many organizations require the flexibility tomaintain a mix of password and stronger authentication credentials, dependingon the risk profile associated with each use case and its community of users.”

v-GO UAM delivers majorsavings for strong authentication deployments by eliminating the need tomaintain a separate infrastructure with proprietary authentication servers.Instead, Microsoft Active Directory is used for data storage andadministration. Organizations that are already using authentication devicessuch as proximity badges for door access can achieve additional savings byusing those same devices for Windows logon, removing the need for additionaldevice investment to secure network access.

v-GO UAM also keeps theuser logon process simple. Users who have door access badges, for example,simply tap their badge on a badge reader attached to their computer and enter aPIN code. They tap their badge again to lock their computer or log out. Userswith smart cards, such as government-issued identity cards, insert and removetheir card from the smart card reader in the computer.

“Until now, organizationsthat 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 usuallylimited to one type of authentication device, had costly changes of theback-end infrastructure if they wanted to switch authenticators, and had toimpose a confusing logon process on their end-users,” said StephaneFymat">StephaneFymat, Vice President of Strategy and Product Management forPasslogix. “By solving these problems with a universal device strategy, simpleinterface and affordable non-proprietary back-end, v-GO UAM finally makes itpossible to deploy strong authentication enterprise-wide.”

Advantages of v-GO UAMinclude:

·      An open architecture that supports any type of device from anymanufacturer, ratherthan locking organizations into a single method that is typically proprietary.This open approach enables organizations to leverage their physical accesscontrol infrastructure for network logon if desired, buy new authenticationcredentials from any vendor, switch authenticators without changing theirinfrastructure, and support multiple authentication methods that may berequired by different end users from a single administrative interface.

·      Faster and more secure logon to Windows than passwords, particularly fororganizations that are subject to data protection regulations such as HIPAA,PCI DSS and FISMA. It also eliminates forgotten Windows passwords.

·      An intuitive user interface that usually eliminates the need for end-usertraining.

·      No need for dedicated servers, eliminating deployment and administrativecomplexity, scalability barriers, and central points of failure associated withstrong authentication in large organizations.

·      Roaming capabilities, allowing users to sign on to the network from any enterpriseworkstation.

·      Low total cost of ownership, at just $15 per user, that cost-justifiesenterprise-wide strong authentication deployments.

·      Optional deployment with v-GO Single Sign-On, the market-leadingenterprise single sign-on solution. While v-GO UAM can be deployed on astandalone basis, v-GO UAM and v-GO SSO work together to enable users to bere-authorized to sensitive applications with the same identification devicethey used to logon to Windows.

Pricing and Availability

v-GO UAM is availableboth on a standalone basis at $15 per user and as part of Passlogix’s v-GO AccessAccelerator Suite. Volume discounts are also available. The firstrelease will support a broad range of cards including smart cards, door accesscards and government-issued identification cards. Support for biometrics,question and answer validation (challenge & response) and other methodswill be available shortly thereafter.