Accops launches new vendor-neutral biometric authentication solution to fight cyber threats

Accops Systems, a trusted developer and provider of secure workspace virtualization infrastructure, has launched an upgraded version of its multi-factor identity and access management solution that supports biometric authentication.

The advanced HyID, an acronym for Hybrid Identification, has built-in biometric authentication server for fingerprint as well as facial recognition, along with the existing OTP-based two-factor authentication. And what sets this new product apart from competitors is its vendor-neutrality and ability to sync with any existing applications, without necessitating any change.

The new solution is critical for sectors such as BPO and BFSI, particularly the banking industry that has lately been facing challenges to fortify its cybersecurity framework. In fact, the RBI recently issued guidelines, directing all Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) to put in place strict security measures and ensure, among other things, strong user authentication through two-factor or multi-factor verification.

Accops has already implemented the new biometric solution, available as an add-on with HyID product, in a number of large organizations, including some leading private sector banks.

“Today, organizations, especially where user impersonation is a big issue, are looking for strong user authentication solutions to protect their valuable data from relentless cyber-attacks. Further, the RBI guidelines, the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) rules, and other data protection laws require organizations to track that all are accessing their systems, when and from where,” said Vijender Yadav, CEO at Accops Systems.

Traditional memory-based authentication, such as PIN, passwords, passphrases, etc., are susceptible to various cyber risks, phishing attacks and other means of breach. Even a number of two-factor authentication methods, like OTPs delivered through SMS, are no longer considered completely secure.

“In contrast, biometric is tamper-proof, and cannot be shared or misused easily. The new biometric-enabled HyID solution not only helps reduce chances of fraud, data loss, or identity theft, but also supports organizations to be compliant,” the Accops CEO maintained.

Benefits of new biometric-enabled HyID solution are as follows:

• Smooth integration: HyID provides biometric-enabled MFA without making any change in the existing applications. In fact, it is compatible with all modern and legacy apps, which help businesses, upgrade their security features fast, saving time as well as cost. For example, if a bank wants to secure a core banking system (CBS) application, CBS vendor will have to modify the application to support biometric authentication from other providers. Now if the bank has multiple such applications with access to critical data, the bank will have to spend a lot of money, time and efforts to integrate biometric authentication into each of those applications. But with HyID, the bank can spare itself all the hassle and adopt biometric protection without changing the apps.

• Its vendor neutral: The advanced HyID authentication solution can support biometric devices from multiple vendors, like Mantra Softech, SecuGen, BioEnable, etc. Moreover, it has the framework to enable any new biometric device provider as well.

• Easy to roll out: As part of this new version of HyID: customers get biometric authentication as an add-on feature, where biometric enrolment, biometric capturing and all those functionalities are built into the product. Also, detailed workflows can be created to have a maker-checker based authorization process. This apart, the solution is flexible enough to allow self-enrollment as well as administered enrollment.