A Time for Proper Security – Strong Authentication for All
TraitWare Joins the FIDO Alliance
Cyber-Threat Rising Still
Virtually every day we hear warnings and stories of cyber-attack – on companies large and small. The cyber-threat landscape continues to evolve, with a sharp rise in the frequency and severity of attacks. Remote workforces and the use of various devices for both personal and professional access, inside and outside of the ‘corporate perimeter,’ mean wider attack surfaces and more opportunity for bad actors to gain unwanted access to our digital valuables. With improved technology also comes more sophisticated and easily accessible attack methods for cybercriminals.
Experts Say …
For many years now, government and industry leaders, including TraitWare founders, have been calling for better security for individual and corporate identities, and secured access to digital valuables. Identity and Access Management (IAM) has had to undergo significant change in response to industry demand and tightening regulatory demands. This includes the shift from ‘Legacy’ systems that rely on passwords and other shared secrets. Even traditional Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) that relies on SMS or One-time passcodes (OTPs) is no longer considered secure enough and is being replaced by biometric-enabled authentication and public key infrastructure (PKI).
A Call for Strong Authentication for All Businesses
TraitWare is rooted in the belief that Passwordless Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is the future of access security – not only because it reduces the risk of cyber-attack, but also because it makes life easier for everyone. Therefore, we built our solution from the ground up with Zero Trust architecture, removing the #1 risk factor behind cyber-attack, along with the greatest source of login frustration – the Password (or any Phishable shared secret).
We’ve been fortunate enough over the years to serve 100% happy customers – providing 100% Passwordless MFA to 100% of our customer’s users, 100% of the time.
Why FIDO?
Today, we take another step forward by joining the FIDO Alliance, working alongside like-minded leaders who share our vision for a world free of the frustrations and risks that come with password-based access. The FIDO Alliance compliments the foundations of our technology and our company, and we look forward to contributing to a collective mission to make strong authentication widely accessible for businesses of all sizes.
What is FIDO?
FIDO (Fast Identity Online) is a set of technology-agnostic security specifications for strong authentication. FIDO is developed by the FIDO Alliance, a nonprofit organization that seeks to standardize authentication at the client and protocol layers.
FIDO authentication is guided by three mandates: ease of use, standardization, and privacy/security.
The FIDO Story
In 2007, PayPal set out to improve security with MFA. At that time, it was a one-time passcode (OTP) using a key fob. Unfortunately, adoption was low, primarily because the key fob complicated login.
CTO of Validity Sensors, Ramesh Kesanupalli spoke with PayPal CISO Michael Barrett about the idea of incorporating finger-scanning technology into PayPal. Barrett’s view was that there needed to be an industry standard that could support all authentication hardware, so efforts began to bring together industry peers with that shared goal.
The FIDO Alliance was formed around that goal and went public in February of 2013. Many companies have since joined, including Google, Microsoft, Apple, ARM, Bank of America, Mastercard, Visa, Samsung, Dell, and RSA.
For more about the FIDO Alliance, please visit https://fidoalliance.org.
For information about how we can help your company achieve optimum security posture with Real Passwordless Phish-Proof MFA™ please get in touch.