Open Standards Based Secure Authentication

An open standards-based architecture for strong authentication helps to lower total cost of ownership while providing maximum flexibility and choice.

Open Authentication Standards

The Initiative for Open Authentication (OATH) (http://www.openauthentication.org) is a collaborative effort of IT industry leaders aimed at providing a reference architecture for universal strong authentication across all users and all devices over all networks. OATH-compliant vendors support innovation and encourage consumer adoption while providing interoperable services without the cost, complexity and vendor-lock of proprietary solutions.

Lower Cost of Ownership

Interoperable components provide maximum flexibility in solution development and deployment with less of risk than a proprietary or vendor locked solution. Designed to integrate with existing identity and access management platforms and infrastructure (e.g. LDAP directories, AAA servers), OATH-compliant services reduce time and resources required for deployment costs. A fully hosted approach to validation based on the OATH architecture requires minimal infrastructure investment with maximum availability and scalability.

More Credential Choices

In the growing market for secure, portable credentials, open standards encourage innovation among vendors. OATH-compliant form factors include tokens, credit cards, and flash drives as well as mobile phones, PDAs, laptops and other mobile devices using OTP, SIM, PKI-based or other authentication methods. An open standards-based architecture allows you to adapt quickly to the changing market with more credential options to meet consumer demand. Compare Two-Factor Authentication Credentials.

Better User Experience

As consumers create more accounts online for banking, healthcare, social networking, gaming, and more, they put their trust in online businesses. An open-standards approach to strong authentication will help simplify and lower the cost of better online identity protection. The fully hosted approach to validation and the single credential for many sites will make strong authentication even more convenient and easier to use.

VeriSign® Identity Protection Services

Based on the OATH open-standards reference architecture, VeriSign® Identity Protection Services help your consumers conveniently and securely log-in to their accounts to use your online services. Two-factor authentication with many credential types, self-learning fraud detection, and a powerful validation infrastructure help provide a secure end-to-end solution at a reasonable cost from the most recognized trust brand on the Internet.