BIO-key continues expanding access management with multi-factor authentication at US colleges

BIO-key has signed up yet another U.S. college for PortalGuard, with Marion Technical College in Ohio selecting the identity and access management (IAM) solution to deliver low-cost and secure two-factor authentication (2FA) and single sign-on (SSO) for its mission-critical applications and data.

The biometrics and access control provider has signed up a slew of customers for PortalGuard this year, with San Juan College in New Mexico the most recent example. More than a half-dozen colleges had already signed up to use PortalGuard in just over four months since it was acquired by BIO-key, as well as other types of organizations.

Marion Technical College sought a way to provide access to applications like Office 365, Canvas LMS, and PowerCampus with greater security and less friction for students, faculty and administrators. The implementation of SSO reduces the user frustration and support costs associated with high numbers of individual username and password logins for different systems and departments. With a single set of credentials now allowing access to many systems, 2FA is necessary to thwart cybercriminals and prevent unauthorized account access.

“The combination of SSO and 2FA allows us to provide our customers with both the incredible value of a single set of credentials as well as a higher level of security to protect their critical data,” stated Mark Cochran, President of BIO-key – PortalGuard. “With students increasingly learning in digital formats, the ability to securely connect to educational systems is an important element within a safe and supportive learning environment. Many higher education institutions are pursuing initiatives for this type of cybersecurity improvement, and we are here to help other institutions to follow suit.”

Article Topics

access management  |  authentication  |  BIO-key  |  biometrics  |  cybersecurity  |  identity access management (IAM)  |  identity management  |  PortalGuard  |  single sign-on