SecureAuth, Echoworx and Avatier add passwordless biometrics for email, office tools

SecureAuth has added several new authentication tools and capabilities to its platform to help organizations adjust to the challenges of digital-first customer engagement. The new tools include multi-factor authentication (MFA) with biometrics through SecureAuth Endpoint and the WebAuthn protocol.

The latest SecureAuth release includes an Identity Store, ‘Questionnaire-as-a-Factor’ delivery and a Mobile SDK. The SecureAuth Identity Store is a directory of privacy and developer-centric SaaS tools. The company has also introduced PIN protection for FIDO2 WebAuthn-compliant authenticator keys, such as YubiKey 5 hardware keys for fully passwordless MFA.

Yubico, meanwhile, has launched its YubiKey 5 FIPS Series, which consists of the YubiKey 5 NFC, YubiKey 5C NFC and YubiKey 5Ci devices.

The release is intended to give U.S. government agencies and companies in heavily-regulated industries a phishing-resistant authentication framework. The 5 series also includes WebAuthn and FIDO2 support for passwordless workflows.

The YubiKey 5 FIPS Series is certified to FIPS 140-2, Overall Level 1 and 2, and physical security Level 3. It also meets the Authenticator Assurance Level 3 (AAL3) defined in NIST SP800-63B.

The company also released hardware keys with fingerprint biometrics last year.

Echoworx secures email with mobile device biometrics

Message encryption provider Echoworx has introduced biometric authentication to its email platform to give enterprises a way for employees to access encrypted communications quickly, without using passwords.

The Echoworx Email Encryption platform now features seven authentication options, with customizable encryption capabilities with eight methods of delivering secure email, according to the announcement, and support for 27 languages.

The company notes that Gartner has found 60 percent of large enterprises plan to make 50 percent of more of their business passwordless by 2022.

“People trust their devices and mobile is the fastest growing channel for reaching customers,” says Michael Ginsberg, CEO of Echoworx. “That’s why we’ve decided to leverage biometric authentication, like fingerprint and facial recognition already built into devices, to access encrypted messages. Eliminating the need to manage and use passwords is the future, and we feel biometrics are the obvious frontrunner for achieving this goal.”

Echoworx’ addition of biometrics demonstrates its commitment to giving global enterprises a flexible platform, the company says.

Avatier launches passwordless biometric service for remote workers

Avatier has upgraded its Identity Access Management (IAM) service facial recognition, fingerprint biometrics for identity and governance administration (IGA) to support work from anywhere practices.

The upgrade comes as part of the SaaS Avatier Identity Anywhere 2021 Spring Edition, which includes a new universal user interface and passwordless single-sign on (SSO) and IGA login for remote workers.

The Avatier Identity Anywhere framework uses Docker containers, and can be deployed within platforms including Chrome, Teams, Outlook, Slack, iOS, Android and ServiceNow.

“Today’s workforce is working remotely, and identity authentication has to follow them wherever they go and however they work. With our Identity Anywhere approach IAM follows the user so they have secure access anywhere, anytime to improve productivity without jeopardizing security,” Nelson Cicchitto, CEO of Avatier states. “We are reimagining identity management to modernize the workforce, giving users more secure control so they can work how they choose without adding IT overhead.”

The momentum of passwordless technologies was indicated by Hypr’s recent $35 million Series C funding round.

Article Topics

access management  |  authentication  |  Avatier  |  biometrics  |  enterprise  |  identity management  |  SecureAuth  |  Yubico