[kakumar]

I provide remote access to my employees in my business. However their password management is not the best and I just don't feel passwords provide enough protection.

What economical 2-factor authentication solutions are out there and which would you recommend?

This post has been edited by kakumar: 07 September 2008 - 02:31 PM

[Tom9729]

http://en.wikipedia..../Security_token

[darrenb]

Tom9729, on 7 Sep, 2008 - 09:16 PM, said:

http://en.wikipedia..../Security_token

Tom9729/kakumar:
New on these forums and just cruising. We used tokens at work, but now we have kinda switched to something more fancy and cheaper.

We use something called Phonefactor along with Logmein. PhoneFactor is slick because it uses your cell Phone or Landline phone for the second strong authentication.

[larsting]

Check this out www.smspasscode.com. Rgds Lars

[DeCompile]

How are they connecting to your business?

If they are using an existing internet connection, then create a VPN.

[frankmantooth]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the advice. Just to summarize I got three suggestions for solutions for economical two factor authentication tools.

1.) Security Tokens
(2.) SMS pass-codes
(3.) PhoneFactor

By far the best solution in my opinion is PhoneFactor. The installation process was very easy and it works seamlessly with the LogMeIn software I provide employees with for remote access. It has a number of advantages over the other two suggestions.

PhoneFactor's advantages over SMS pass-codes:
PhoneFactor be used on a landline along with a mobile phone, sms pass-codes of course only work on mobile phones. There are integration and usability issues as well. You have to modify applications to ask for numbers instead of just passwords. You have to add an authentication phase to the application to kick off sending of the PIN. Or, you have to trigger sending of a PIN by some out-of-band method. So it isn't a easily scale-able solution, along with the fact that some people can't and don't use text messaging on their phones.

PhoneFactor's advantages over security tokens:
People place a lot more primary value in their cell phone than they do a security token device. Which means tokens get lost more easily than cell phones and cause a huge headache for IT departments. Also the process of logging in is faster and easier with PhoneFactor over a token, it's just a click of one button on your phone!

Guys check out here, it's a great solution: http://www.phonefactor.com/

[pbuck]

I've been keen on LogMeIn for awhile but have always felt a little naked about it because if anyone were ever to get access to my username and password it would be easy for them to get access to my PC from the other side of the world. Just recently PhoneFactor came out with an agent making it really to set up on top of LogMeIn, which has set my mind at ease in a big way. Now I receive a phone call when I login, to which I respond with a "#," which gives me access to my machine. Cool thing is, if someone else tries to access my system with my username and password, I'm the one who gets a phone call. I know immediately if someone is trying to get in. Come to think of it, why not have 2-factor using the same method when you log in locally?

[kakumar]

pbuck, on 11 Sep, 2008 - 04:55 PM, said:

Come to think of it, why not have 2-factor using the same method when you log in locally?

That's a good idea, think about it if your laptop was stolen or if someone broke into your house. A lot of people have their passwords written down at their desk, this is a way to prevent intruders in your home and thieves from accessing you personal information.

[pbuck]

Yep, I have a colleague at work named winash who bugs me that I don't lock my pc when I step away to go to the restroom. Talk about paranoid. But there are in fact situations where someone could come along and check out my stuff at work. How about a free "PhoneFactor Local" agent? :-)

[kakumar]

pbuck, on 15 Sep, 2008 - 07:44 PM, said:

Yep, I have a colleague at work named winash who bugs me that I don't lock my pc when I step away to go to the restroom. Talk about paranoid. But there are in fact situations where someone could come along and check out my stuff at work. How about a free "PhoneFactor Local" agent? :-)

Does he own a tinfoil hat?