Privaris, RSA team for three-pronged security, including biometrics at kiosks

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Privaris, a biometrics applications company, announced that it has teamed with RSA, the security division of EMC Corporation, to achieve interoperability between RSA SecurID two-factor authentication technology and its plusID family of personal, wireless biometric identity verification devices. This includes using biometrics to generate a one-time password for use on public PCs or kiosks where no direct connection is available.

According to a news release, certified interoperability through the RSA Secured Partner Program enables plusID products to be used across a complete range of applications within the enterprise that are protected by the RSA SecurID system.

This technical collaboration provides organizations the ability to enhance security without making any changes to their existing security systems. Specifically, organizations now have the ability to move to three-factor authentication via: 1. Something you have: the RSA SecurID One-Time Password generated on the plusID token 2. Something you know: the PIN that is required to generate the OTP 3. Something you are: your fingerprint The plusID token generates the RSA SecurID one-time password only after successful verification of the authorized user's fingerprint on a personal device. The one-time password is then automatically transmitted to the host computer via USB or a Bluetooth wireless connection. For use on public PCs or kiosks where no direct connection is available, the RSA SecurID one-time password is displayed on the plusID's LCD window, enabling manual entry by the user. Because biometric verification is required before generation of the one-time password through RSA SecurID technology, the solution is designed to ensure that only the token's authorized user will be granted access to IT resources.

The addition of interoperability with RSA SecurID two-factor authentication broadens an already rich set of security technologies with which plusID is out-of-the-box compatible, allowing for rapid deployment with existing physical and logical (IT) security systems. For physical security, plusID is compatible with most RFID access card standards including HID Prox and iClass, Indala and CASI formats. For logical access applications, plusID supports both Bluetooth and USB for the transfer of digital certificates via Microsoft Windows native smart card support, in addition to RSA SecurID one-time passwords. plusID's wide range of standard interfaces eliminates the need for organizations to issue and manage multiple access cards, fobs and passwords. Employees can now carry a single trusted token that verifies their identity via biometrics for secure access at multiple doorways and vehicle gates, as well as to computers, networks, Web sites, software, VPNs, encrypted files, and online applications — without changes to legacy systems. "We are pleased that Privaris has achieved interoperability between RSA SecurID technology and the plusID token to provide a strong solution for organizations that require secure physical and logical access. It is more critical than ever for enterprises to increase the security and access to valuable corporate information, to personally identifiable information located within their systems, and to their own physical facilities and related assets," said D.J. Long, senior director, corporate development at RSA. "Both of our organizations are committed to mitigating risk to sensitive information throughout its lifecycle — balanced with both cost and convenience — to ensure that this critical data is always an asset and not a liability."

The plusID token is distributed through OEM partners and resellers. "Privaris and RSA are making it simple for organizations to benefit from the efficiencies of a truly converged security solution by offering the convenience of a single, universal security credential to employees," said John Petze, CEO of Privaris. "Our technology collaboration with RSA complements Privaris' mission to work with existing security infrastructures to make the implementation of biometrics simple, cost effective and therefore pervasive. It's now very easy for businesses to equip their employees with greater security and convenience while leveraging their existing RSA SecurID-based infrastructure."