Security Wish List and This Year’s Ultimate Strong Authentication Stocking Stuffer

2009 was a tough year with the global economic downturn resulting in unprecedented workforce reductions. As a result, security risk from insider breaches has never been greater. Now, as we look to turn the page to 2010, it’s already clear that organizations will continue to go beyond the traditional levels of network access security by implementing policies that require users to provide a second form of identity to gain access to IT resources.

Once considered an unnecessary form of security, strong authentication has materialized into an essential part of data security best practices. In fact, most regulatory bodies are now starting to mandate the use of strong authentication. The need for organizations to implement multiple types of strong authentication options is driven primarily by user environment, habits and workflow. While there are several options available—biometrics, One-Time-Password (OTP) tokens, proximity cards, USB tokens, smart cards – there’s only one that stands apart as the strong authentication method must-have this holiday season: proximity cards.

After speaking with a slew of OneSign customers in recent months to hear how their single sign-on (SSO) experiences are going and to get a grasp on what their future security plans entail, the common denominator amongst these initiatives is the use of proximity cards. Proximity cards are a practical and affordable way for organizations to gain greater control of their physical access systems and meet regulatory compliance demands. They also serve as an effective way to achieve a comprehensive view of who is accessing what, when, and from where.

From industries including financial services, government and healthcare, proximity cards is the strong authentication modality of choice for chief executives as they look to further leverage their existing network systems, achieve holistic security postures and meet budgetary concerns. They also make for great stocking stuffers for the security guru that is looking to protect their family from an insider attack.

What’s on your security wish list this holiday season?