CRYPTOCard - News

Bulwark Launches CRYPTO-MAS Managed Service from CRYPTOCard in Middle East

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0500

2 Factor Authentication fully managed service provides reliable, simple and cost effective security solution to companies in the region

prlog.org, June 22, 2009 - As companies fight to secure their data from unwanted intrusion, they now expect their staff to remember an ever increasing number of username and password combinations. In light of this, support departments are spending more and more of their time resetting forgotten passwords. Two factor Authentication (2FA) is a popular alternative as it reduces this complexity by requiring users to own something and to know something – the two factors. However, even here, there are support issues as systems have to be installed and deployed and the users educated.

Bulwark Technologies LLC, the Value Added Distributor for CRYPTOCard products in the Middle East announces the availability of CRYPTOCard's new CRYPTO-MAS service, which provides a fully managed 2FA service. CRYPTO-MAS was launched at the Bulwark Partner Meet on May 14, 2009 and is now made available through the channel partners of Bulwark Technologies. The solution redirects user login requests from a company's authentication device to its own secure servers. If the correct credentials are provided, the user is allowed to access permitted network resources as normal.

CRYPTO-MAS supports most authentication devices and essentially assumes the RADIUS authentication process, requiring a device reconfiguration to relay incoming user login requests to the remote servers. It entails simply configuring the end-user device to use an external RADIUS server - the CRYPTOMAS servers.

Once the customers sign up for the CRYPTO-MAS service through any of the channel partners, CRYPTOCard provides configuration instructions and sets up an administrative account for access to the CRYPTO-MAS portal; it is from here that users and tokens can be managed. The portal interface is simple to use and users can be organized into groups which can identify areas such as the department that they belong to, or their access method.

For One-Time Password (OTP) creation, CRYPTOCard offers a choice selection of hardware, software, Blackberry and SMS tokens. Tokens can be mixed and matched within the company and provide selected users with more than one type if required. The hardware tokens have a long life span and some come with replaceable batteries.

Mr. Jose Thomas, Director of Operations at Bulwark Technologies comments “With the availability of CRYPTO-MAS, customers can implement the password security within minutes for the remote users to connect through VPN for mail access, application access etc. without the fear of password phishing. Starting from 5 users onwards it could be scalable to any number depending on the customer’s requirement. CRYPTO-MAS support most of the Firewall UTM / SSL appliances available in the market and without changing any devices or installing any additional server components, customers can add on password security especially for their remote users.”

2FA is a far more elegant solution to traditional access security methods and the CRYPTO-MAS managed service simplifies it even further. It offers very strong security, is simple to deploy and manage, and is an extremely cost effective solution.

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What recession? A break in the clouds: Part 2

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0500

In the second part of our look at 2009 so far, it seems that confidence can definitely be found in the market if you know where to look

CRN www.channelweb.co.uk, June 09, 2009 -

Six months down the line, the national press is finally waking up to the fact that there is actually some positive news out there - MP’s expenses aside - and some businesses are in fact seeing growth.

So what is the mood of the channel? And what should resellers be doing to ensure they stay in the game?

Clare Barclay, director of partner strategy and programmes at Microsoft, said adaptability was a key skill in turbulent times.

“There will be challenges, but for those partners able to adapt to changing customer requirements, there are opportunities to seize. Now is the time to really dig deep and make it happen. We are seeing continued strength in public sector business and we believe that consumer-facing partners are likely to see the market recover first.

“Partners should be able to diversify and evolve their offerings to address customer concerns, and make the most of the opportunities available. There are two main conversations happening in boardrooms at the moment: how do we save money and how do we find new customers to increase profitability? Channel partners need to be very clear about how their offerings will answer these questions. If they can answer them, investment in technology will continue throughout the rest of 2009.”

Christos Papakyriacou, managing director of components distributor Alpha Micro, said making the right business choices is crucial.

"As predicted, 2009 has been one mixed with anxiety and additional pressure, something which most players in the channel have felt the repercussions of, only further added to with the recent budget announcement predicting doom and gloom for coming year,” he said.

“At Alpha Micro we have taken a step back to review expenditure to ensure that all our suppliers, staff and contractors are adding real value to the business.”

Papakyriacou said saying no to business was not always a bad move.

“During tough business times, people often make bad 'business choices' and take on deals with little margin. It is therefore essential during the remainder of 2009 for all distributors and resellers to take their time in committing to partnerships and think more about the longevity of each deal they plan to seal. In doing so, all those involved can guarantee that efforts put in the right direction will duly pay off as the economic climate settles,” he said.

Chris Gabriel, director of solutions at Logicalis, said the recession has forced more firms to consider working together.

“This year has thrown many obstacles at us, not least the lack of confidence caused by the continuing financial crisis. However, looking positively on this, it has definitely enabled organisations to focus on consolidation and cost efficiency to drive businesses forward.

“The challenge for our industry has been to work together and accept that helping organisations make micro investment decisions is where our collective focus needs to be. If we can continue to show that we are helping our customers achieve more with less now, then we will demonstrate our industry’s combined intellect is being put to good use.”

Pat Dunne, senior director, UK and Ireland at Websense, said security had escaped the brunt of the downturn.

“The need for security is as great, if not greater than ever before and the security industry as a whole has held up well. We’ve seen some resellers consolidate into larger reseller managed services organisations, which strengthened some of the larger players. And there is recognition that security is an area that cannot be ignored; larger players have looked to either acquire security partners or use services to fortify their offering.”

Gary Marsden, VP sales and marketing, CRYPTOCard, agreed that security is safer than some sectors.

“No industry sector is immune to the wider economic problems we face; however, security is an essential, rather than a concessionary spend and continues to be driven hard by regulatory compliance in some key markets.”

He said the firm is seeing continued investment in both the local government and education sectors.

“While this delivers us and our channel the opportunity to maintain sales revenue, it is still critical that we’re cognisant of the financial challenges end-user organisations are facing, and that our managed service proposition supports the need for achieving economic efficiencies and ongoing overhead reductions,” he said.

Andrew Donn, EMEA regional sales director at Honeywell, said the right portfolio will help resellers counter the doom and gloom.

“No question, the first quarter of 2009 has been tough for the channel. Revenues have been affected by the global downturn as businesses across the board look to hold off spending on new technology.

“However, we are seeing investment continue in mobile computing, as companies look to ensure their supply chain is as efficient as possible. For the remainder of 2009 and on into 2010, we expect to see adoption of mobile technology from other industries, as companies, now more than ever, look to understand exactly where their assets are, and how to manage them effectively.”

“It is an ideal time for channel partners to demonstrate their understanding of how their customers’ businesses run, and how the right VAR can help make a business run better,” he added. “It may not lead to new revenues immediately, but will certainly strengthen relationships, putting them in pole position to secure new business once the client has the budget to invest.”

Andy Horn, head of COLT’s SME division in the UK, agreed that there was opportunity out there.

“Although today’s market is challenging, it offers a significant opportunity for both us and our leading resellers. COLT’s channel has continued to grow throughout the early stages of 2009,” he said. “By listening and responding to our channel partner requirements we have been able to react to the current market conditions and deliver services, such as usage-based billing for internet access to provide flexible payment options to customers.

“Organisations are seeking to reduce costs, in particular capex, while simultaneously enhancing business processes and organisational productivity. Resellers that can offer a truly value-added, differentiated service as opposed to commodity services are best placed to succeed in today’s turbulent market,” he added.

“Looking to the rest of 2009, service providers, resellers and VARs that focus on meeting the need for lower capex investments and improved efficiency will be the ones who succeed in the recession,” he said.

Kevin Moreau, general manager UK and Ireland at Acronis, said the storage market was another sector that was margin rich.

“There will always be demand for back-up and recovery solutions, so it is a reliable area for partners to invest in. This technology is becoming increasingly important as businesses are cutting back on hardware investments, meaning they are relying on ageing systems which are more likely to fail,” he said.

“System downtime has always threatened to have major implications on business productivity, but the economic downturn means that organisations are operating closer to the edge, meaning the threat of a significant system failure can have an even deeper impact on a business.”

Moreau said his firm had seen growth in every sector, with the top performers being SME and public sector.

“Enterprise customers are seeking solutions which provide near zero downtime at a lower price point. Resellers are turning to vendors that can lower a customer’s total cost of ownership through consolidated storage solutions rather than integrating a multitude of vendors – an expensive approach.”

Andy Hardy, managing director of international sales at Compellant, agreed that storage was still a lucrative area for the channel.

“By boosting the efficiency of their storage infrastructure, companies can accommodate data growth within strictly limited budgets, without impacting capacity or performance, he said.

“In the second half of 2009, resellers need to ramp up their knowledge of intelligent tiered storage as quickly as possible and ensure that it's a central platform for their customer's future storage strategy. Not only will this help solve their immediate customer problems of data growth, budget limits, space and energy, but it can just as directly benefit their customer's bottom line. In this period of economic uncertainty, a healthy obsession with efficiency will be the key to weathering the storm.”

Peter Titmus, managing director of support service specialist Networks First, said a positive attitude will help in difficult times.

“While there is no doubt that 2009 thus far has been challenging, the recession has been an opportunity for many. Tough times do not always mean bad times. The key is to continue to invest in business, stay positive and keep the momentum.”

He added that it was no coincidence that the network support industry is going from strength to strength.

“This is primarily because customers are, in a sense, treating network service providers as an extended workforce. They appreciate the need for highly qualified network support services, but may not have the finances or resources to do this internally.

“Consequentially, they have turned to booking external support service engineers on a time and materials basis, giving them the flexible workforce needed during times of economic help.”

Paul Brennan, chief executive of Zeus Technology, said the year has not been as bad as anticipated.

“The rise of virtualisation and cloud computing has presented a host of new opportunities for the channel. Intelligent integrators and resellers are profiting handsomely by offering organisations keen to cut capex ‘on tap’ computing solutions, unheard of just a few years ago.”

Customers can be catagorised into three types relying on legacy, virtual or cloud-based infrastructures, he said, which only adds to the scope of solutions partners can offer.

“We have noticed a particular growth in web-based businesses as online shopping continues to rise at a startling pace. We anticipate that cloud computing will fuel further growth in the channel for those who can offer a wide range of support from value-added consultancy around regulation and compliance, to security and even ‘on-demand’ cloud solutions,” he said.

Neil Watson, channel sales director at Viatel, said the work was out there, but it was taking longer to seal deals.

“The most significant change we have witnessed has been the additional work taken to secure deals, with protracted decision timelines and the need to have considerably more deals in the pipeline to secure the same amount of business as a year ago,” he said. “However, it is encouraging that we are finding this increased amount of opportunity by gearing our proposition to reflect the economic climate that our partners and their customers are facing.”

Watson was confident for the future.

“While we can’t ignore that the economic outlook for the rest of 2009 remains very challenging, the strength and volume of opportunities that we are working on suggests that Viatel and its partners will continue to grow and even flourish in the year ahead.”

So it seems that although the channel hasn’t escaped completely unscathed from the economic downturn, feelings are strong that there is ample opportunity out there, as long as you approach the market in the right way and have the right offering.

There are always firms that will grow during a recession, but just by surviving this downturn, it seems you are heading in the right direction.

See full article

Beating the fraudsters

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Retail Systems, June 01, 2009 -

With real world security measures, such as chip and PIN ,encouraging migration of card fraud to the online world, balancing stringent security with a need to accept as many orders as possible becomes ever more challenging.

Click here to read the full article (PDF will open in a new window)

Visa trials two-factor authentication led credit card

Thu, 14 May 2009 12:00:00 -0500

SC Magazine, May 14, 2009 -

Visa has announced that it is trialling a credit card that has a built-in display to generate and display a unique one time passcode.

According to BBC News, ‘developers say that the new technology would make it very hard for fraudsters, as any transaction would require the pin to generate the code.’ It is apparently being trialled by 500 employees of Deloitte with an aim to assess the technology by the end of the year.

Sandra Alzetta, head of innovation at Visa, told BBC News: “The card needs to be globally compatible: that means embossed characters for mechanical swipes, a magnetic strip for systems that require a signature, the fixed three digit security code and now the unique four figure code.

“I see this as a very consumer focused product and any Visa bank could add it to their commercial cards and make it available, assuming it passes muster.”

Those of us in the security sector know that there are attempts to cut down credit card fraud on all sides, from education and technology perspectives as well as with product development. Although this does sound like a good idea, and Visa should be commended for trying something different, this really is nothing new.

CRYPTOCard already offer a credit card with display token, that it calls the CD-1, that it describes as ‘a simple to use, robust, and incredibly secure token that combines with CRYPTOCard’s award winning server and managed services authentication solutions to provide easy to integrate market leading two-factor authentication functionality to financial services institutions as part of an advanced on-line, retail or business banking channel strategy or retailers as the next step in enhancing security of loyalty cards and on-line catalog systems.’

Along with this, there are one-time password generating tokens in the market from the likes of VeriSign and CRYPTOCard of course. So while Visa should be commended for taking the concept of security in hand, they may have to question how this will work overall and how original it really is, or is the major brand name really enough to sell this?

See the article

Getting extra protection for company computers

Tue, 12 May 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Berrows Journal, Worcester, May 12, 2009 -

A COMPUTER firm is unveiling a new security system which could reduce small and medium-sized firms’ hacking risk.

IT support and consultancy OGL Computer, based in Stourport, has developed the 2fA - two factor authentification - system jointly with partner CRYPTOCard.

The technology was unveiled at Europe’s biggest IT security show, Infosecurity Europe 2009 at Earls Court, London, at the end of April.

The idea behind the system is targeted at the weakness of having a single password log on for remote or wireless computer networks.

OGL’s 2FA development gets around this problem by having two elements, a token - usually an encoded key-fob - which is designed to work with work laptops and computers which in turn generates a one-time password.

The second element is a PIN code remembered by the user.

When the user wants network access, at the press of the key-fob’s button a request is generated for a password which the user enters at their network log-in together with a remembered PIN code.

Companies running the system can run any firewall, do not need to buy any new hardware or pay for server transfers.

See Article

CRYPTOCard and IronKey announce integration deal

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:00:00 -0500

SC Magazine, UK, May 06, 2009 -

CryptoCard has announced a deal to integrate its multi-platform software token across IronKey's product portfolio.

The new solution will enable organisations to implement a combined two-factor authentication security strategy that protects data held on mobile storage devices, such as a USB drive, and secures the network against unauthorised access.

By embedding CryptoCard technology into IronKey's suite of products, users are provided with a portable solution via a device they are carrying anyway, eliminating the need to carry a separate token. According to the two companies, data is further protected with high-speed, military-grade hardware encryption and intelligent anti-malware controls, and is encased in a waterproof and tamper resistant housing.

Neil Hollister, CEO of CryptoCard, said: “It made sense to find a cost effective way of coupling both areas of data protection. Combining our password token technology with IronKey's suite of products creates a ‘trusted' environment for data stored outside of the traditional network perimeter, and also ensures the identity of users accessing the network remotely.”

Steve Ryan, senior vice president of business development at IronKey, said: “We are dedicated to developing market leading solutions to protect our customers' data and networks. Now businesses can enjoy peace of mind knowing that their data is not only secure on the device, but also that the network which holds their data is protected from malicious access.”

See SC Magazine Article in full

CRYPTO-MAS bundled in Lumison hosted applications

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Two factor authentication technology from CRYPTOCard to be used by ISP Lumison for access control on hosted applications

Infosecurity show, London, April 28, 2009 - , May 06, 2009 -

CRYPTOCard has announced that internet services provider, Lumison, is the latest to adopt its managed authentication service Crypto-Mas, and join its Service Provider Partner Program.

Bundling CRYPTO-MAS into its portfolio of managed network services and hosted applications, Lumison is able to deliver added value and security to its customers IT infrastructures.

Aydin Kurt-Elli, CEO of Lumison, commented; “In the past 12 months we’ve seen a significant increase in the adoption of managed, hosted and remote working services. Our customers are choosing to outsource elements of their network to guarantee operational and financial stability and reduce management complexity, but at the same time, not wanting to compromise on security.

“It was essential that we met this demand with a flexible and secure service offering. Integrating CRYPTO-MASinto our portfolio not only demonstrates to customers our continued investment in products that enhance their service, but also an awareness of the security threats facing businesses today. Furthermore, we’ve been able to do this without incurring significant upfront capital costs.”

Lumison will be CRYPTOCard’s principle sales partner for the CRYPTO-MAS service in Scotland and the two companies will collaborate closely on sales and marketing programmes to promote the service in the Scottish market.

“This adds to the groundswell of opinion that a managed authentication service can relieve the investment and resourcing headaches normally associated with implementing 2FA into a network,” says Neil Hollister, CEO of CRYPTOCard.

Hollister adds; “Choosing CRYPTOCard to add value to its managed services portfolio is also further evidence that service providers and resellers can benefit significantly from our service. This not only reinforces our position as being the most technically advanced, adaptable and cost-effective managed authentication service in the market today, but also shows that the business model really does work for our partners.”

CRYPTO-MAS is a unique managed service which provides a flexible, affordable solution using two-factor authentication technology, and positively identifies individuals before giving them access to applications, data and networks. CRYPTO-MAS simply sits in front of a company’s remote access or VPN network – no hardware or software installation is required. High levels of security can be provided in a matter of minutes.

See article

CRYPTOCard Enhances 2FA Managed Service to Further Reduce Administrative Overhead

Mon, 04 May 2009 12:00:00 -0500

CRYPTO-MAS Upgrade Automates Directory Synchronisation

www.blogowogo.com, May 04, 2009 -

CRYPTOCard, a leading developer of two-factor authentication (2FA) technology, today announced the latest feature upgrade to its managed authentication service, CRYPTO-MAS.?The LDAP Agent upgrade will enable businesses to synchronise business directories with their 2FA managed service, helping to reduce the administrative overhead of updating employee profiles.

“Many of our clients want to automate as many of the processes associated with managing and maintaining their password systems as possible.?The desire to streamline workflows and ensure that additional layers of security are aligned with those desires is rapidly increasing,” explained Neil Hollister, CEO of CRYPTOCard.?

Hollister added; “Unlike traditional authentication servers, CRYPTO-MAS significantly reduces on-going management overheads. ?However, our customers asked us to find a way of integrating the service with their existing directories, but without compromising data integrity or security.?The LDAP Agent provides just that – a continual update of the managed service to reflect changes within the corporate directory.”

The Agent is installed on a company’s Active Directory server and provides regular updates to the CRYPTO-MAS service over an encrypted secure link. The...

See article

Swine Flu Information

Mon, 04 May 2009 12:00:00 -0500

UK, May 04, 2009 -

Is your business prepared for an autumn Swine Flu pandemic?

If the government advises against travel or imposes quarantine zones, as with past outbreaks, it's vital your staff have the tools to continue working from home to avoid loss of critical resource within your business.

CRYPTOCard are offering special pricing on quick installation two-factor authentication to help secure your VPN and prepare your staff for remote access ahead of the predicted pandemic. Contact us for a personal quote.

Remote access
If you don't already have remote access you have likely considered it, now would be a great time to implement.

Remote access, secured
Secure your remote access against hacking and other hostile attacks with CRYPTOCard's award winning authentication.

CRYPTO-MAS is the award winning managed authentication service from CRYPTOCard, we can have you up and running in hours with:

	Industry leading levels of security
	Lowest total cost of ownership
	Minimum installation and ongoing management
	Scalability - increase your users at just a few hours notice

It's as simple as that. Problem solved.

	Telegraph: Health Secretary warning
	BBC: one in three kids suffer
	Directgov: Everything you need to know

Protect your customers in the cloud

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Microscope, April 30, 2009 -

As IT budgets are squeezed ever tighter and workforces become more distributed, the attraction of applications delivered through the internet grows.The benefits predictability of cost, simplicity, scalability and ease of management appeal to businesses irrespective of vertical sector or size.

Click on the link below to read full article

Full Microscope article