Passwordless MFA solutions with biometrics launched by SecureAuth, LoginID

SecureAuth has launched a new tool with biometric support to enable safer and more secure authentication on Windows, macOS, and Linux devices.

Dubbed Endpoint, the solution provides multi-factor authentication (MFA) capabilities designed to mitigate the threats posed by hackers attempting to gain access to machines by running tools that can escalate privileges. The user’s password or PIN is the first factor, which triggers a push notification to the user’s mobile device, and Endpoint can be configured to require authentication through native device biometrics.

Illustrating the features of SecureAuth Endpoint on the company’s blog post, Director of Product Marketing Dusan Vitek claims the new tool is safer than Windows Hello, the MFA tool most used by enterprises globally, for two reasons.

“First, somewhat temporary, Windows Hello for Business works only on Windows 10. Over time, this will become less of an issue but in 2021 it is a real concern,” Vitek explained.

In addition, Windows Hello for Business places a device-specific digital certificate onto the Windows PC, and this certificate is used for authentication instead of the password. Because access to this certificate is ‘unlocked’ only after the user puts a finger on the fingerprint reader, Vitek said, Microsoft chooses to call this biometric authentication.

However, the executive warned that many security experts disagree with this technology being called a multi-factor authentication solution, as the biometric is not operating as an independent factor.

“The security dilemma stems from the fact that the digital certificate serves as factor 1,” Vitek explained. “The fingerprint unlock of factor 1 is not a second factor, it’s merely a method of making factor 1 available to Windows logon.

“It’s much better than the previous password-based logon, but it does not meet the purist definition of MFA,” he adds.

SecureAuth Endpoint, on the other hand, would fully meet this definition, not only by offering ‘true’ MFA capabilities but also by providing extra security features like self-service password reset (in the Windows version) linked to the SecureAuth Identity as a Service cloud platform.

In addition, according to Vitek, Endpoint is one of the few MFA tools today providing this level of login security across multiple operating systems.

LoginID releases FIDO-certified WordPress plugin enabling passwordless login

LoginID has released a new plugin to enable FIDO-certified passwordless authentication on WordPress-based websites.

Free to install, the solution enables users to set up biometric authentication in a few clicks, the company says. The plugin also reportedly enables WordPress webmasters to easily align to various compliance regulations, including PSD2 and GDPR.

According to LoginID CEO Simon Law, the new tool also helps safeguard users’ private information.

“Unlike other popular single-sign-on solutions, user information cannot be used for tracking purposes, ensuring a private experience on websites that integrate the LoginID WordPress Plugin,” he explained. “The plugin can be easily installed by any WordPress developer in minutes, making it the fastest way to add FIDO-certified strong authentication into websites.”

The release of the new plugin follows a recent funding round last March when LoginID raised $6 million to accelerate the development and adoption of FIDO-certified biometrics.

Article Topics

access management  |  authentication  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  identity management  |  LoginID  |  multifactor authentication  |  SecureAuth