Equifax Announces New Security for Token-Based Authentication Systems

ATLANTA, March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) announced today an enhanced automated solution to enable a cost-effective response to, and recovery from, the compromise of token-based authentication systems.  

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Anakam Identity Authentication for Tokens is a flexible, easy-to-deploy service that allows an enterprise and/or agency to remotely verify -- by initiating a temporary or permanent alternate authentication process -- that the individual logging on to a device with a token is that particular person. The service is an industry-unique verification process that is based on a proven set of solutions for large enterprises and government agencies, and which provides an elevated level of security and protection that will help a company/agency re-establish trust with legacy, token-based strong authentication systems.  

"Identity Authentication for Tokens, like all of the Anakam Identity Services, has very low impact on the user experience, and as a Web-hosted service, is easy for enterprises to implement and execute," said Rajib Roy, President of Equifax Technology and Analytics. "It helps our clients rapidly and cost effectively secure their assets against any potential compromise of tokens."

Anakam builds on the service's primary and proven functionality to enable IT executives to solve the three most vexing problems with hard tokens:

• It can be used as an interim measure for enterprises struggling to manage risk while alternate mitigation strategies are developed;
• Large enterprises can leverage Anakam's Identity Authentication to re-provision their token base with very little incremental cost, re-establishing trust with the end-users as appropriate security is restored;
• Lastly, as enterprises look for cost-effective and flexible alternatives to their existing tokens, Anakam Identity Authentication can be used to transition end-users to an alternative, more advanced, authentication strategy.

Anakam's Identity Services are currently used to secure on-line banking at the top 10 global banks, as well as some of the most important federal and health care access portals.  These organizations depend on Anakam's service to remotely prove the identity of millions of users – both internal and external users at varying levels of trust – and to establish a strong multifactor authentication capability, increasing customer satisfaction and reducing costs.  

The simple proofing process re-confirms the user's identity when they successfully pass an authentication challenge with a potentially compromised token system.  

Business continuity is maintained by creating a secure avenue for users to continue remote access to sensitive data and internal systems.  Transaction records for user logins, and the pass-fail rate at each step, will help IT security managers track potentially fraudulent use of tokens.  As necessary, users can be transitioned away from tokens to the Anakam Identity Services' more flexible and comprehensive, standards based two-factor authentication platform.

To learn more about Identity Authentication for Tokens, visit:  http://technologyservices.equifax.com/?elqPURLPage=525.

About Equifax (www.equifax.com)

Equifax empowers businesses and consumers with information they can trust. A global leader in information solutions, we leverage one of the largest sources of consumer and commercial data, along with advanced analytics and proprietary technology, to create customized insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives of consumers.

Businesses – large and small – rely on us for consumer and business credit intelligence, portfolio management, fraud detection, decisioning technology, marketing tools, and much more.  We empower individual consumers to manage their personal credit information, protect their identity, and maximize their financial well-being.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Equifax Inc. operates in the U.S. and 15 other countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Equifax's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EFX.

SOURCE Equifax