Passlogix today announced V-Go Universal Authentication Manager (V-Go UAM), a strong authentication solution that ought to enable 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.
The solution provides fast and secure network access for users and lowers the cost of back-end strong authentication infrastructure in corporate networks from more than $100 to just $15 per user.
Phil Schacter, VP and Service Director for Burton Group Security and Risk Management Strategies: “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.”
V-Go UAM ought to deliver major savings for strong authentication deployments by eliminating the need to maintain a separate infrastructure with proprietary authentication servers. Instead, Microsoft Active Directory is used for data storage and administration. Organizations that are already using authentication devices such as proximity badges for door access can achieve additional savings by using those same devices for Windows logon, removing the need for additional device investment to secure network access.
V-Go UAM also keeps the user 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 a PIN code. They tap their badge again to lock their computer or log out.
Advantages of V-Go UAM include:
- An open architecture that supports any type of device from any manufacturer, rather than locking organizations into a single method that is typically proprietary. This open approach enables organizations to leverage their physical access control infrastructure for network logon if desired, buy new authentication credentials from any vendor, switch authenticators without changing their infrastructure, and support multiple authentication methods that may be required by different end users from a single administrative interface.
- Faster and more secure logon to Windows than passwords, particularly for organizations 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-user training.
- No need for dedicated servers, eliminating deployment and administrative complexity, scalability barriers, and central points of failure associated with strong authentication in large organizations.
- Roaming capabilities, allowing users to sign on to the network from any enterprise workstation.
- Low total cost of ownership, at just $15 per user, that cost-justifies enterprise-wide strong authentication deployments.
- Optional deployment with enterprise single sign-on solution V-Go Single Sign-On. While V-Go UAM can be deployed on a standalone basis, V-Go UAM and V-Go SSO work together to enable users to be re-authorized to sensitive applications with the same identification device they used to logon to Windows.
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 first release will support a broad range of cards including smart cards, door access cards and government-issued identification cards. Support for biometrics, question and answer validation (challenge & response) and other methods will be available shortly thereafter. (Source: Passlogix, Inc./GST)