Cross-Industry Initiative to Drive Adoption of Strong Authentication Across Networks, Applications and Devices

DENVER, Digital ID World, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/–More than 30 leading device, platform, and application companies supporting the initiative for Open AuTHentication (OATH) today entered into an agreement that forms a charter to drive the adoption of open, standards-based strong authentication technology.

By enabling a broad range of interoperable hardware, software, and services, OATH participants are working to help customers reduce the cost and complexity of deploying strong authentication within enterprises, and across the Internet. Since its formation, OATH’s membership has expanded to include industry leaders from a range of technology sectors, including token manufacturers, platform vendors, smartcard providers, and security services companies.

The current membership includes the following companies: ActivCard, Inc.; Aladdin Knowledge Systems; ARM; Assa Abloy ITG; Authenex, Inc.; Aventail Corporation; Axalto, Inc.; BEA Systems; BMC Software; Checkpoint Software Technologies; DataKey, Inc.(soon to be a SafeNet company); Digital Persona; Diversinet Corp.; Entrust Technologies, Inc.; Forum Systems, Inc.; Gemplus Corp; I.B.M.; IMCentric, Inc.; Juniper Networks, Inc.; K.K. Athena Smartcard Solutions; Livo Technologies SA; Passlogix, Inc.; Phoenix Technologies Ltd.; Signify; Smart Card Alliance; VASCO Data Security; and VeriSign, Inc. (See attached quote sheet for comments by OATH participants.)

Experts have long recognized the need for strong forms of authentication for critical applications. Strong authentication, which requires users to possess a second, physical factor in addition to a password or PIN, is an essential component in protecting against the various forms of security attacks prevalent today. In recent years, the rise in malicious attacks, combined with growth of mobile computing and the increasing openness of most corporate networks, has increased the need for strong authentication for remote access, user log-in, and single sign-on. Most existing incumbent two-factor technologies, however, have proven too expensive and inflexible for broad-based deployment, thus constricting and enterprise’s ability to offer stronger authentication to their employee and customer bases.

“The transition from proprietary to open architecture should expand the use of strong authentication across all industries,” said Bob Blakley, Chief Security and Privacy Scientist, IBM, and OATH participant. “OATH and its focused efforts will help create online security that is stronger and faster to deploy. OATH participants encourage others to join this effort and become active participants driving the evolution of authentication.”

OATH participants have agreed to work across standard bodies to complete a set of open standards supporting a common architecture. The OATH reference architecture was introduced earlier in the year and a draft is available for download at http://www.openauthentication.org.

About the Initiative for Open AuTHentication

The Initiative for Open AuTHentication (OATH) is a collaboration of leading device, platform and application companies. OATH participants hope to foster use of strong authentication across networks, devices and applications. OATH participants work collectively to facilitate standards work and build a reference architecture for open authentication while evangelizing the benefits of strong interoperable authentication in a networked world. OATH is actively seeking all participants who share a common vision of open authentication. To learn how to participate, email info@openauthentication.org or visit http://www.openauthentication.org.