PhoneFactor supporting SAML 2.0
01 February, 2011
category: Corporate, Digital ID
PhoneFactor announced support for SAML 2.0, a standard for communicating identity information in the cloud. By providing support for SAML, PhoneFactor enables federated two-factor authentication for Google Apps, SalesForce.com, and other cloud services and platforms.
When configured for SAML, PhoneFactor serves as the identity provider to the cloud service. The authentication process is delegated to PhoneFactor, which checks the user credentials against the company’s user directory. If the credentials match, PhoneFactor places an automated phone call or sends a text message to the user to verify the login. This provides two-factor authentication leveraging the user’s existing credentials and the user’s existing phone.
Like the applications which the SAML integration supports, PhoneFactor resides in the cloud. There are no devices to deploy and no software for end users to install. It works instantly with any phone anywhere in the world, and provides a highly-secure method for federating two-factor authentication in the cloud.
By addressing key security concerns, such as two-factor authentication, PhoneFactor expects to see adoption of cloud computing begin to really take off. Organizations can now trust that authentication in the cloud is as secure as on-premise systems, meeting even the most rigorous internal security requirements as well as those set forth by regulatory agencies.