Integrated Systems

Authentication under OATH

by Mark Rowe

Swivel Secure says it has integrated support for OATH (the Initiative for Open AuTHentication) tokens into its multi-factor authentication platform, enabling it to offer customers both tokenless and token-based authentication for the first time. OATH is a collaborative effort of the IT industry aimed at providing reference architecture for authentication across all users and all devices over networks. With OATH event-based token support built into its solution, Swivel says that it’s now able to provide interoperable authentication under circumstances when the use of mobile devices and other conventional communications technologies is prohibited, such as on stock exchange trading floors or in transactional call centres.

Chris Russell, CTO at Swivel Secure, says: “Swivel’s intent has always been to provide the most flexible multifactor authentication environment possible by supporting the widest number of deployment options on the market. For most organisations, a tokenless solution represents the most flexible, cost effective and resource efficient way to achieve this. We do, however, recognise that there are exceptions to this rule and today’s announcement enables us to address these market segments also. With this news, Swivel is now the only multifactor authentication solution an organisation will ever need.”

According to the firm, its token-based service enables customers to opt to implement an additional authentication factor through the use of a PIN, putting the user right at the heart of Swivel’s strong multifactor authentication process. This option provides users with the flexibility to define the level of authentication, and the authentication method most suited to them.

“We took the decision to support OATH tokens specifically because this enables us to offer a fully comprehensive solution to customers wanting to migrate to a more flexible environment but don’t want to suffer the cost of replacing their existing token inventory,” adds Russell. “What’s more, as the cloud, Bring Your Own Device and VPN based remote access solutions all continue to surge around the world, demand for versatile authentication is increasing. Many IT directors are understandably nervous about migrating to a new system and are instead looking to migrate gradually, so they can road test the various tokenless deployment options and, at the same time, ensure they maximise ROI from their investment in tokens. We are now able to address these concerns and provide across the board support to those companies that want to implement a measured transition.”

The Swivel authentication platform was first launched in 2003. It is now used by major global enterprises, local government, the NHS and hundreds of smaller business, in over 35 countries, to remotely access their business networks, virtual desktops and Cloud-based applications.

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