Dave Courbanou

July 15, 2011

2 Min Read
SafeNet Launches Mobile Security Authentication Platform

Consumierzation of IT, if you haven’t noticed yet, is one of my favorite topics of conversation. Often, detractors of the trend cite security issues with consumer-level devices or closed-down operating systems such as Apple’s iOS. But SafeNet has found a way to make mobile devices on networks secure, based on hardware authentication and network security. Here are the details …

So how does it work? I reached out to SafeNet and received a reply from Doron Cohen, VP of Technology and Identity Protection. Here is his unadulterated reply:

“[SafeNet Authentication Manager (SAM)] allow[s] the user to authenticate to the enterprise VPN , Wi-Fi and e-mail. SAM leverages the native iOS configuration profile features, allowing organizations to enforce device policies such as PIN policy. SAM can provision several certificates to a single device and specify which resources can be accessed. These may include network access via VPN, Microsoft Exchange and WPA2 enterprise Wi-Fi networks. … What SAM does is embed a unique user credential in the form of a certificate on an employee’s iOS device. The process is facilitated through a registration portal accessed via the browser.”

In other words, if your device doesn’t meet the credentials inside SafeNet’s “unified authentication scheme,” the device doesn’t get to access the network. SafeNet also works through “layers of protection through encryption of token data,” which allows IT admins to manage authentication keys. SAM’s authentication layers also work over VPNs, virtualization environments and even SaaS apps.

SafeNet hopes adopters and proponents of the consumerization of IT trend will bring SAM to their data center, since many corporations are most likely adding devices haphazardly and opening themselves up to data loss and security issues. Adding a ‘credential’ layer to the connected devices can ensure IT admins can proactively activate, deactivate and manage all devices that are connecting to their networks, allowing for less user-specific micromanagement for each device.

SafeNet has a partner program, in addition to a plethora of authentication devices in both hardware and software token versions. If you’re an SMB or enterprise serious about using consumer devices in the workplace, you should consider checking this out. MSPs might want to even add this to their portfolio of security solutions.

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