IAM: The Balance between Usability, Costs and Security

Enter username and password: In corporate networks and for employees, this standard authentication has long been sufficient. That has changed - due to a growing number of external and internal identities and rapidly increasing access to web applications, APIs and mobile apps. For security experts, one thing is clear: passwords do not provide sufficient protection against attackers, as the following facts underline:

90 percent of all passwords can be cracked in less than six hours

Two thirds of all users use a single password for different web services

Passwords suggest security to the user, but do not guarantee it

As a result, many companies currently rely on two-factor authentication (2FA), with innovation leaders even moving to password-free access control. In addition to security considerations, another aspect speaks in favor of 2FA solutions: The new legal requirements, such as the European Payment Services Directive PSD2, and demands from various other regulators that require strong authentication.

Good for security - and for your customersBut as important as security is, the introduction of two-factor authentication must not forget user-friendliness. A powerful Customer Identity & Access Management (cIAM) significantly simplifies many processes here. This applies on the one hand to usability via self-services or single sign-on, and on the other hand to internal processes. This is why companies benefit from the combination of a cIAM with integrated two-factor authentication in terms of fast time-to-market and high availability, as well as maximum cost efficiency.

Innovative technology - and very simple operation. A coordinated overall solution is therefore the optimal approach against the increasing complexity in access management - and the great advantage of Airlock's Secure Access Hub. Because strong authentication with Airlock 2FA is particularly user-friendly, cost-efficient and meets current legal requirements due to the supported zero touch and one-touch processes. Just how convincingly 2FA methods work in everyday life can be illustrated by looking at Zero-Touch: Here, the log-in is carried out without user interaction by using environmental information, such as background noise, and thus users are identified reliably and within seconds. This makes authentication easier than ever.In addition to zero and one-touch, offline-capable authentication methods and hardware tokens complement the range of functions to cover all customer needs with one solution.