Symantec to add biometric authentication capabilities to security services

Symantec will introduce several new capabilities next year that will feature biometric authentication technology in place of passwords, according to a report by ZDNet.

Over the next 12 months, Symantec will be adding new capabilities that will use a range of biometric modalities.

The company will add these capabilities through VIP Everywhere as part of its Symantec Validation and ID Protection (VIP) service.

Set for release in the second half of 2016, VIP Everywhere is designed to provide end-to-end authentication that will see “for the first time in a long time security and usability [become] friends,” said Nick Savvides, Symantec ANZ business manager of information protection.

The biometric authentication security factors will also be integrated into Norton, providing a unique Symantec identifier that will identify a user of a specific computer.

“Today we authenticate the user through VIP,” said Savvides. “We’re now introducing the ability to feed in that continuous authentication with behaviour analytics; take telemetry from the apps while it’s in use; make machine-learning decisions to determine whether I need to stop the user from performing an action, or do I just need to re-authenticate to make sure the device hasn’t been hijacked.”

Symantec said it will also focus on “mobile hardening” with the upcoming launch of mobile application protection services (MAPS), enabling mobile app developers to concentrate on the functionality of an app as opposed to security issues.

Previously reported, Imprivata partnered with Symantec to provides clients with a complete, DEA-compliant solution for identity-proofing individual prescribers to help meet regulatory requirements for the electronic prescribing of controlled substances.

Article Topics

behavioral biometrics  |  biometrics  |  continuous authentication  |  mobile app  |  online authentication  |  passwords  |  security  |  Symantec