November 05 2007

Identity ToGo a USB device and software to authenticate online users

Authentication solution provider TriCipher has brought out a new portable ID system ID Tool ToGo that claims to be both convenient and has authentication that’s superior to tokens, smartcards and biometrics.

Anything that claims authentication that’s superior to biometric authentication in the first paragraph of the press release has to be viewed with some suspicion. After all what else proves your identity more than your own eyes and fingers? Yes you could cut a finger off but has anyone really done that outside of Hollywood movies?

TriCipher  has introduced the ID Tool ToGo - the first portable, low-cost solution for protecting sensitive information online, that can be delivered on a multi-use device and is designed to protect online users against fraud and identity theft. In addition it has room to spare to let users store music, photos and data.

ID Tool ToGo is intended for the bank, retail and healthcare market where it’s positioned as a product to protect customers from online identity theft, fraud and emerging threats such as man-in-the-middle (MITM) phishing and man-in-the-browser (MITB) attacks.

TriCipher’s ID Tool ToGo, combined with its patented public-key infrastructure (PKI) technology, gives companies a far more affordable and secure alternative to expensive one-time password (OTP) tokens, smartcards, or biometric devices, which can cost £25 or more per user each year – and are vulnerable to MITM and MITB attacks.

In addition TriCipher will also offer companies "customer self-provisioning" so customers can download the ID Tool ToGo onto their own devices and TriCipher is working to bring ID Tool ToGo to other multi-use devices.

If this is true, and it works as well as TriCipher says then this product really will have legs, and perhaps this is the answer to security that we have all been waiting for. One of the most irritating things about authentication devices is that everyone has their own standard and so you end up with pockets full of the devices. Where as something that sits on a device you already own like a mobile phone, USB key or an mp3 player will have a head start and a much greater likely hood of being used and carried.

by Marcus Austin (Web Editor)