NW_20010410_en_VASCO Introduces Digipass Strong Authentication Security for Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server
Identikey-developed solution endorsed by Simac Techniek NV, multinational information and communication technology company
RSA CONFERENCE, SAN FRANCISCO – April 10, 2001 -- VASCO (Nasdaq NM and & Nasdaq Europe: VDSI), a global provider of enterprise-wide security solutions that support e-business and e-commerce, today introduced strong authentication remote access security for Microsoft Exchange Server 2000. Microsoft Exchange is a leading groupware product embraced by thousands of corporations worldwide to gain the benefits of collaborative computing, providing a unified messaging service that includes collaboration and network capabilities. VASCO also announced that Simac Techniek NV, a 1400-person strong European information and communication technology company based in the Netherlands, has endorsed VASCO’s new security solution. The new security product was developed by Identikey, a global security software company which was acquired by VASCO on April 4, 2001.
The dilemma facing Simac was that its clients had network security policies requiring a browser as the only communications medium, whereas Simac’s own security policy required that an NT username and password not be transmitted over an external link.
“We have engineers outsourced to clients who needed to access their e-mail through the Internet to be fully productive, but security concerns always kept us from allowing it,” noted Abdelhati Dada, Product Manager for Simac ICT bv. “The VASCO Identikey solution gave us the remote access security for MicroSoft Exchange that we were looking for, providing Outlook Web access with Digipass strong, two-factor authentication. The solution was also easy to install, support, and use. In fact, once they saw the practical benefits of securing remote access to Exchange with VASCO, one of our clients actually chose to buy the VASCO Identikey solution as well. Simac itself is now a reseller of the Digipass for Microsoft Exchange security solution, and we are marketing it to our extensive client base.”
A critical issue was being able to deliver the functionality to outsourced staff both securely and without loss of features, which the solution does. The solution is easily installed and integrated with MS Exchange Server, providing strong authentication by replacing the usual username/password pair and providing a single authentication method that cannot be shared, spoofed or otherwise compromised. In addition, the solution provides a virtual “single sign-on” for MS Exchange mailbox access using true two-factor strong authentication.
Mark Kefford, previously CEO of Identikey, pointed out that “Identikey created an extension of its strong authentication server to let Simac, and other MS Exchange users, secure the Outlook Web Access feature of MS Exchange using strong, two-factor authentication. This is now used by Simac’s offsite staff to access its internal MS Exchange account from anywhere, any time, since the Digipass authenticator is a small, hand-held device that is also fully portable. Now, any organization wishing to gain the full benefits of Microsoft Exchange groupware with affordable and easy-to-use security can turn to VASCO’s proven solution.”
About VASCO
VASCO secures the enterprise from the mainframe to the Internet with infrastructure solutions that enable secure e-business and e-commerce, protect sensitive information, and safeguard the identity of users. The Company's family of Digipass® and SnareWorks® products offers end-to-end security through strong authentication and digital signature, true Single Sign-On, access control and advanced entitlements, web portal security, and PKI enablement, while sharply reducing the time and effort required to deploy and manage security. VASCO's customers include hundreds of financial institutions, blue-chip corporations, and government agencies in more than 50 countries. More information is available at www.vasco.com.
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For more information contact:
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Mike Lange
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Ariane Bosmans
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