Whether you call it single sign-on, access control or user authentication, the products in this test aim to verify the identity of users as they access applications and data on a computer or network.
Such access might be directly to the host device where data is stored, or to a remote device or service. Or the identity verification might be via resident software on the local device, software on a network server, a separate physical appliance connected to the network, a remotely managed service, or a combination of these.
And the identifying feature could be provided by a password, an electronic token, a biometric, or a PIN-generating device. Confused?
The truth is that user authentication has become more complex, but this simply echoes the growing complexity of IT in general, and the way people, corporations and governments access and use data.
We may conclude that user authentication will become a crucial factor in our everyday IT experience. Take into account the requirements of regulatory compliance to developments in OS systems, ecommerce and collaborative applications, IT security tools and the trend toward managed services.
The whole area of user authentication is becoming more sophisticated as new challenges emerge within the sphere of information technology. Fortunately, there are some excellent tools available with which to meet these challenges.
BEST BUY
Product: RSA Sign-On Manager
Vendor: RSA Security
Verdict: A robust and proven enterprise level SSO solution.
Website: www.rsasecurity.com
RECOMMENDED:
Product: OneSign
Vendor: Imprivata
Verdict: An industrial-strength, flexible user authentication solution for the enterprise.
Website: www.imprivata.com
