Identity proliferation frustrates employees, compromises network security, drives up administration costs and hampers measures to comply with legislative regulation. Single sign-on (SSO) has long been touted as the panacea to manage the ever growing number of logins that most computer users will face when working with today’s modern IT systems. From system server logins to web based internet banking and email programs, users tend to be bombarded with a vast number of different system logins each day with most requiring a different username and password.

The concept behind single sign-on is that the user logs in once and the computer then takes over to perform any subsequent logins automatically on behalf of that user. The burden of having to remember many different passwords is thus reduced or even eliminated. The result is user convenience dramatically improves, help desk calls are reduced, and security is strengthened.

Historically, single sign-on has always been viewed as weakening a system’s security. This is mainly due to the fact that the authentication which is designed to protect the system is being reduced to a few or even a single credential validation event. The initial login must therefore be quite secure in order to stop any malicious party from gaining unauthorized access.

Advancements in secure user login have developed to such a stage that strong authentication can now be assured in a single authentication session. Multi factor authentication is based on the concept of using two or more methods to identify the user. This is generally something the user has (such as smart card or token), something the user knows (a password or PIN), and something that only the user can present (a biometric ID such as from a fingerprint or retina scan). Any good single sign-on implementation should have the flexibility to offer the integration of advanced authentication systems in order to boost the security of the user’s login.

ActivIdentity SecureLogin is setting the industry standard for advanced security, flexible deployment and out-of-the-box application support along with additional product enhancements in the latest release of SecureLogin 6.0. SecureLogin is a credential management solution that provides users with a consolidated identity that enables fast and easy access to corporate resources using a single secure log in. Authenticated users can quickly access their applications with automated log in and credential management, and eliminate the burden of remembering multiple credentials for different applications, or dealing with frustrating password policy.

IT organizations build efficiencies by streamlining and applying consistent and secure credential management policy, cutting down on the number of passwords issued to users, and reducing time spent on administration, support and training. SecureLogin supports ActivIdentity’s vision of enabling organizations to leverage smart cards and e-SSO to provide stronger internal network and remote access security, link physical and logical security systems and empower users with digital signatures, all from the same secure identity platform.