Intercede, the identity management firm, has unveiled a strategic partnership with Yubico, a leading security key manufacturer, with the ambitious goal of making passwordless login accessible to businesses of all sizes.
This collaboration has given birth to a groundbreaking solution, known as Enterprise Managed FIDO Authentication, which combines Intercede’s multi-factor authentication (MFA) software with YubiKeys, thereby eliminating the need for traditional passwords, public key infrastructure (PKI), and Windows Hello for Business.
In today’s business landscape, a myriad of methods are employed for logging into Windows, each varying in terms of security, convenience, and cost. Intercede’s vision is to introduce Enterprise Managed FIDO with YubiKeys, offering organizations the opportunity to centralize all their login processes.
Derek Hanson, representing Yubico, expressed enthusiasm for this partnership, stating, “We’re pleased to collaborate with Intercede on its innovative solution aimed at enhancing the security and efficiency of the log-on process. With the rapidly evolving cybersecurity threat landscape, solutions leveraging FIDO credentials are more vital than ever.”
Intercede’s extensive presence across a wide spectrum of sectors, encompassing both public and private domains, is expected to facilitate the widespread adoption of FIDO authentication among organizations.
Allen Storey, Intercede’s Chief Product Officer, highlighted the significance of this development, stating, “Until now, this level of authentication was primarily accessible to large enterprises and public administrations capable of investing in complex PKI-based solutions. This new solution democratizes the benefits of secure and straightforward FIDO authentication for enterprises, regardless of whether they use on-premise, desktop, cloud, or various Windows versions.”
The FIDO Alliance, a cross-industry association, governs the standards for passwordless credential systems. It employs pairs of cryptographic keys—one public and one private—to grant users access when combined. Notably, even the user remains unaware of the private key, rendering this system resistant to phishing attacks.
In the consumer realm, authentication of passkeys on smart devices typically requires a fingerprint, face recognition, or a PIN. QR code scanning is also an option for desktops and laptops. In Intercede’s innovative solution, the authentication method is the utilization of YubiKey security keys, marking a significant step forward in the realm of passwordless security for businesses.
