RSA SecurID token beefed up with smart card reader | ITWeb
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`SA SecurID token beefed up with smart card reader
`RSA SecurID token beefed up with smart card reader
`Issued by third wave communications for RSA Security
`Johannesburg, 23 Jan 2002
`Read time 3min 50sec
`Companies that rely on two-factor authentication in the form of tokens or smart cards are being afforded convenience,
`investment protection and an enhanced security solution following the international launch of the SecurID ComboReader by
`RSA Security.
`Scheduled to be available in SA in March, the device is the first to combine RSA`s standard SecurID digital two-factor
`authentication token with a mobile, standards-compliant smart card reader. This has major positive implications for the
`adoption of two-factor authentication security solutions.
`"Generally speaking, the most effective approach to authentication - the business of verifying that someone is who they say
`they are when transacting in a digital environment - combines something a user has and something a user knows ... hence
`the `two-factor` moniker," explains Peter Burgess, the territory manager for sub-Saharan Africa at RSA Security.
`In the case of a SecurID token, the key fob-sized unit - synchronised with a software server resident on the customer`s back-
`end system - generates a unique pass code every 60 seconds; this is the part that the user `has`. This tallies with a user-
`identified PIN code only valid for that particular token; this is the part that the user `knows`.
`"Only when the user enters the PIN and the pass code for that 60 second period is access granted. The combination of these
`factors means SecurID can accurately authenticate a user requesting access to a protected system or application," says
`Burgess. "Smart cards can be used in a similar way, combining something the user has [the card, swiped through a reading
`device] and something the user knows [a PIN]."
`Combining the two security technologies into a single unit brings significant benefits to existing or potential users of two-factor
`authentication solutions.
`"A company that is perhaps planning to implement smart cards further down the line but needs two-factor authentication now
`can invest in the ComboReader with little worry. The immediate need is met and there`s a clear transition path to the future
`technology within the unit," notes Burgess.
`There`s a great return on investment angle as well. Traditionally, equipping users with smart card readers - or ensuring
`there`s a reader on each PC or system access point - was time-consuming and expensive. However, the ComboReader
`means that users are no longer obligated to have a reader installed on each computer they work from - be it at the office, at
`home or when mobile.
`"The ComboReader is small and portable and can therefore be carried to each computer`s location or out on the road.
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`https://www.itweb.co.za/content/PmxVEMKX8QAqQY85[2/28/2019 12:04:02 PM]
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`USR Exhibit 2019, page 1
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`RSA SecurID token beefed up with smart card reader | ITWeb
`
`Support for serial or USB connectivity means that a user can unplug from a serial connection to a Windows NT workstation at
`the office and plug the same device in again at home using USB cable on a Windows 2000 PC," says Burgess.
`There`s more to the return on investment though. Smart cards provide enhanced security for e-business and they offer a
`secure platform for multiple applications including system access, corporate IDs and building access. The ComboReader
`allows companies to deploy RSA`s token technology today while working towards a smart card deployment that will distribute
`the total cost of ownership over time and several applications.
`"The RSA SecurID ComboReader represents a convenient, logical step for companies to transition from token-based
`authentication products to PKI and digital certificates," adds Burgess.
`The RSA SecurID system is the world`s leading two-factor user authentication solution, relied upon by thousands of
`organisations worldwide to protect valuable network resources. Used in conjunction with RSA ACE/Server software, the RSA
`SecurID ComboReader functions like an ATM card for a corporate network, requiring users to identify themselves with two
`unique factors - something they know and something they have - before they are granted access. More than 10 million
`people around the world use RSA SecurID authenticators to securely access VPN and Remote Access applications, Web
`servers, network operating systems and wireless networks.
`The RSA SecurID ComboReader will be available in SA through the vendor`s local network of distributors and channel
`partners. For more information on the product, visit www.rsasecurity.com/products/securid. A complete list of RSA Secured
`partners is available at www.rsasecurity.com/partners/secured.
`Editorial contacts
`Third Wave Communications Adrian Wainwright (011) 804 5271 adrian@3rdwave.co.za
`RSA Security Peter Burgess 083 270 9180 pburgess@rsasecurity.com
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`https://www.itweb.co.za/content/PmxVEMKX8QAqQY85[2/28/2019 12:04:02 PM]
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`USR Exhibit 2019, page 2
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