Entrust, Clickatell Partner To Help Stop Online Identity Attacks
Partnership provides technology to enable single or multiple one-time passcodes to be sent to a mobile device
August 6, 2009
PRESS RELEASE
Redwood City, CA — August 4, 2009 — One of the most diverse authentication platforms on the market for addressing online identity attacks is now that much more versatile. Entrust, Inc., in a relationship with Clickatell, enterprise global mobile messaging solutions leader, has expanded its ability to provide one-time-passcode (OTP) delivery to mobile devices via SMS. Often known as mobile soft tokens, this partnership expands the options available to customers using the Entrust IdentityGuard versatile authentication platform across multiple channels.
"Working with Entrust, we give customers a powerful mobile choice in how they deploy strong authentication to protect against online attacks," said Clickatell CEO Pieter de Villiers. "A one-time-passcode solution, delivered via our secure and reliable SMS-as-a-Service offering, can help reduce security access costs, improve enterprise application authentication success and provide an unprecedented level of convenience."
The partnership provides technology to enable single or multiple one-time passcodes to be sent to a mobile device. Entrust IdentityGuard can automatically issue a configurable number of OTPs directly to the end-user's mobile phone via Clickatell text messaging. These passcodes are used as a second factor for out-of-band authentication with Entrust IdentityGuard.
Leveraging a user's existing mobile device, Entrust IdentityGuard can also provide automatic refresh of the passcodes and even enables user authentication while out of cell phone range, providing a continuous security capability to the end-user regardless of their location.
A leading provider of mobile messaging, Clickatell interoperates with more than 775 network operators in 220 countries, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange, O2, SingTel, Telstra and more.
"With wide market penetration, Clickatell was the perfect partner to help expand OTP soft token capabilities to Entrust's global customer base," said Entrust President and CEO Bill Conner. "Their expertise and global reach provides Entrust customers the ability to use the Entrust IdentityGuard OTP authentication capabilities with a proven global delivery provider, providing simple and secure authentication to end-users and enabling a level of convenience and versatility not found on other third-party authenticators."
Because of its ubiquity and availability on all handsets, text messaging has great potential to reach billions of users with a low total cost of ownership. Combined with the security of out-of-band authentication, SMS delivery of an OTP can be a secure, cost-effective method of authentication for consumers, citizens, employees, contractors and partners. In addition, OTPs expire after a brief period, making them ideal and ultimately secure via SMS; there is no need for customers to worry that the OTP will be "left" or "available" on the mobile device itself.
"SMS OTPs offer customers an easy, convenient way to gain secure access to financial accounts, corporate environments and government networks via the proven second-factor authentication method," said de Villiers
Entrust IdentityGuard enables organizations to layer security — according to access requirements or the risk of a given transaction — across diverse users and applications. The platform's authentication options include strong username and password, IP-geo-location, device, questions and answers, out-of-band one-time passcode (delivered via voice, SMS or e-mail), grid cards, eGrid cards and a range of one-time-passcode tokens. Entrust IdentityGuard also provides multiple methods of supporting mutual authentication, including picture and caption replay.
About Clickatell Clickatell enables businesses, governments and communities to leverage the ubiquity of mobile messaging to inform, alert, notify, transact, interact and share information. Delivering mobile messaging solutions since 2000, Clickatell is a global leader in mobile communications specializing in SaaS messaging services and Bulk SMS gateway connectivity to small, medium and large enterprises in a variety of vertical markets.
Clickatell's multi-modal capability and worldwide coverage gives organizations the power to deliver any message to any device anywhere in the world. Reaching over 775 networks in more than 200 countries, Clickatell serves 8,300 customers including BBC, Continental Airlines, CNN, First National Bank, Metropolitan Life, Oracle, Shell, and other industry leaders. Clickatell products and services increase customer acquisition, improve loyalty and build trusted brands through direct, personal, easy, and immediate communications. A Sequoia-backed company, Clickatell is headquartered in Redwood City, CA, and has offices in South Africa. For more information, please visit http://www.clickatell.com/central/campaigns/redir.php?cid=96451
About Entrust Entrust provides trusted solutions that secure digital identities and information for enterprises and governments in 2,000 organizations spanning 60 countries. Offering trusted security for less, Entrust solutions represent the right balance between affordability, expertise and service. These include SSL, strong authentication, fraud detection, digital certificates and PKI. For information, call 888-690-2424, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.entrust.com.
Media Contacts: Kelly Brieger Clickatell Media Relations 650-704-1748 [email protected]
Lindsey Jones Entrust Media Relations 972-728-0374 [email protected]
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