RSA SecurID token authentication system will now be integrated with two important identity services: the Microsoft Windows Active Directory Federation Services 2.0 as well as Citrix Receiver VDI client. There will be no additional charge for this integration and this is available starting now. The announcements extend the notion of centralized authentication, authorization, and single sign-on to Web applications and services located virtually anywhere, including external networks and cloud-based services.
More information on how to integrate with the Microsoft service can be found here on Technet.
The Citrix Receiver upgrade includes an Android version that you can preview now. The remaining clients on any other devices that Receiver supports will be available in December.
SecurID tokens are available as hardware of course as well as software apps for BlackBerry, iPhone, Androids, Windows Mobile smartphones, as well as Mac and Windows desktops. RSA says that the authentication system has been integrated with more than 500 different apps, such as VPNs. They have done other integration with Citrix products, such as Netscaler, and are working on products to integrate with their Xen line next.
RSA’s SecurID was hacked earlier this year, as we wrote about. “The exploits haven’t hurt our market share, indeed year-over-year revenue growth for the overall division has accelerated each quarter this year, and the SecurID business has also grown,” according to Sam Curry, one of the Chief Technology Officers for RSA. “The number one thing our customers are asking for is this kind of integration.” According to SEC filings, the overall RSA business grew 8% year over year in Q1, 13% year over year in Q2 and 16 % year over year in Q3.
These developments seem like a natural one for RSA to extend its authentication services reach into two popular places. But there are lots of alternative two-factor services available. Here are some alternatives that we wrote about earlier this year.