Pragma Expands Cisco SSH Support with Smartcard x509 Key Access

AUSTIN, Texas, April 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Pragma Systems, a leading SSH solutions provider, announces Pragma Fortress SSH Server and Pragma Fortress SSH ClientSuite are the first commercial products to add Smartcard, DoD CAC and x509 key access to Cisco devices. Pragma's clients and servers now connect to Cisco's IOS SSH/SCP with x509 certificates and public key authentication. This allows network administrators to use their x509 authentication credentials stored in Smartcards or U.S. Department of Defense CAC cards (Common Access Cards) to log in to Cisco routers or switches using Pragma's SSH and SCP clients and servers

"Pragma is an excellent SSH technology provider and its solution works very well with Cisco SSH bundled in our devices," said Chris Lonvick, Director of Research and Advanced Development at Cisco and editor of the SSH RFC internet standard. "Our team has worked closely with Pragma for interoperability with Cisco SSH and we have worked to ensure end-to-end access for many common customers, including the United States Army."

"This expanded feature request came directly from Cisco's feedback," said David Kulwin, Pragma's chief technology officer. "Key information technology administrators with x509 certificates need to be given remote access to Cisco routers with SSH public key authentication and Pragma SSH clients now provide this functionality."

Pragma SSH & SCP servers and clients were already compatible across a variety of Cisco's routers and switch products running Cisco SSH. The availability of this expanded functionality makes Pragma SSH clients more useful as network administrators can now access Cisco devices using secure public key authentication and x509 keys instead of a simple username and password.

Using Pragma's SSH clients and servers, customers' benefits in Cisco environment include:

• Log in to Cisco devices using Smartcard/DoD CAC/x509 keys instead of password
• Securely transfer files to Cisco using SCP and x509 or public keys
• Upload/download Cisco IOS patches securely and faster
• Store and distribute device configuration for Cisco devices from Windows/Unix servers
• Automate and script Cisco device management tasks using Pragma SSH and Windows PowerShell

Pragma Fortress SSH/SCP/SFTP servers and clients are widely used for remote access and secure file transfer in U.S. Government, federal agencies, Fortune 500 and global 1000 companies. Among Pragma's many key SSH customers are General Dynamics, Microsoft, McKesson, Oracle, Cisco, Exelon, the United States Army and NASA. Pragma's Fortress SSH Servers and Clients are FIPS certified (certificate #1500), are listed on the Department of Defense's Unified Capabilities Approved Product List (UC APL) and have successfully passed rigorous Department of Defense testing through the U.S. Army's JITEC group.

About Pragma Systems
Pragma Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of enterprise-class remote access and secure file transfer software for Microsoft Windows platforms and is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. Pragma is an industry leader of Secure Shell (SSH), Telnet, SFTP and SCP technology and its products are FIPS certified and government approved. Pragma's SSH technology has become a key ingredient in cloud infrastructure build out and network device security management. The company's end-to-end solutions allows data-centers and enterprises to build highly secure infrastructure to access corporate data, SAPConsole, distribution and warehouse applications. Pragma's software is deployed in the majority of Fortune 500 companies in the USA and over 4400 companies worldwide with over three million licensed nodes. Visit www.pragmasys.com.

Contact: Edith H. Myers
Pragma Systems, Inc.
512-219-7270
Email

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SOURCE Pragma Systems, Inc.