Identity and access management firms Versasec and G+D, BIO-key ink new partnerships

Identity and access management firm (IAM) Versasec has entered into a strategic partnership with German security technology firm Giesecke+Devrient to bring fingerprint biometrics to the enterprise market.

Versasec provides a variety of cloud-based and on-premise passwordless authentication management solutions, including some which integrate with the biometric authentication standards set out by FIDO.

The partnership will see Versasec’s credential management system integrated with G+D’s StarSign authentication solutions.

These StarSign authentication tools include key fob, key card, and mobile authentication products for iOS and Android devices. The StarSign Key Fob features fingerprint biometrics.

According to the companies, the latest move will enable firms to “streamline their authentication processes, reduce operational costs, and bolster security against emerging threats by providing end-user clients more options for their authentication devices.”

The news follows G&D raising 130 million Euros (approximately US$135.3 million) in November 2022, with some of it being earmarked for growth in the area of digital identity, in addition to general corporate purposes.

Another IAM firm that also provides fingerprint scanners, BIO-key International, has announced partnership with Savvy Information Technology, which will see its biometric authentication solutions become available to customers in Ethiopia.

The new partnership build’s on BIO-key’s pre-existing Channel Alliance Partner (CAP) program within Ethiopia,

Savvy Info. Tech, based in Ethiopia’s capital of Addis Ababa, includes many banks and government institutions in Ethiopia as its clients.

The company’s solutions include end-to-end card personalization, data protection, identity and access management, payment switching, and fraud management.

BIO-key seems to be rapidly building out its footprint in Africa. In May this year, the company struck two deals with Angola-based software development company Pixel Infinito and Nigeria-based cybersecurity firm Ethnos IT Solutions.

In addition, BIO-key was also able to announce a ‘significant’ upgrade to the Admin Panel of its PortalGuard IDaaS (Identity-as-a-Service) product.

The company claims this update provides enhanced support for MSPs (Managed Services Providers) and MSSPs (Managed Security Services Providers) to enhance their authentication and operational efficiency.

The firm highlighted three key areas which it claims the updated solution will provide value for admins and IT users.

These include enabling the user to work from ‘any’ web browser or device including desktop, mobile, or remote access.

PortalGuard also highlights the ability to give organizations the option to view and modify organizational configurations from a single login point, as well as manage license usage and organizational subsidiary projects.

IAM in general may be becoming an increasingly important priority for businesses globally.

The Identity Security Alliance (IDSA), a non-profit group of identity and security vendors, solution providers, and practitioners, recently found that almost a fifth of businesses – 17 percent – see managing digital identity as a top priority in their security program, while more than two-fifths of respondents (44 percent) now see it as a top three security priority.

Article Topics

BIO-key  |  biometric authentication  |  biometrics  |  cybersecurity  |  enterprise  |  Giesecke & Devrient (G+D)  |  identity access management (IAM)  |  PortalGuard  |  Versasec