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Sevan Networks Logo Identity Authentication for Web Security
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"The product relies on public key authentication to increase user convenience and strengthen security. However, deployment and management are simple and the cost of ownership is low because the product doesn’t require an infrastructure like other public key based solutions."

-- Matthew Kovar, CFA,            Yankee Group

Certificate-based Authentication

Computing has changed a great deal during the last 40 years, but authentication is still based on passwords. The WSA changes this by offering easy-to-own, simple-to-use certificate-based user authentication.

The WSA uses the authentication mechanism found in every browser, so there is no software on the client machines.

When the user first accesses the protected web resources, the WSA invites him to enroll his certificate. The enrollment process is as simple as a password-based authentication. After a successful enrollment, the user is permitted to access the protected resources on the basis of his certificate.

Unlike passwords, the user can confidently use a single certificate as a common credential for all of his web authentication needs.

In the case that a user arrives at a WSA without a certificate, the WSA can provide him one through a simple, 3-click process.

Benefits:

  • Increased security, since its is highly unlikely that the certificate can be lost, shared or stolen. Contrast this to passwords

  • The ultimate in user convenience. In most configurations the user does not know that he has been authenticated - no secrets to type in

  • A single user credential for all applications

  • The WSA is self-contained and can work with or without a PKI. For most applications, the need for a public key infrastructures simply disappears

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