eWEEK Labs Selects PhoneFactor™ Authentication Service for Analyst's Choice Award

Business Wire, Oct 2, 2007

No Special Hardware or Software Provides "a Simple and Elegant Solution for Two Factor Authentication" Says eWEEK

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Positive Networks, the leading provider of hosted security services, today announced that its innovative PhoneFactor authentication service has been selected for an eWEEK Labs Analyst's Choice award, after reviewing the new service that can use any phone as a secure authentication device.

"Using the PhoneFactor service, businesses can add two-factor security to VPNs, Web applications or any system that supports RADIUS with very little upfront work and without having to provide any special hardware to users," wrote eWEEK Labs' chief analyst Jim Rapoza. "And in my tests PhoneFactor worked so well and so easily that I am awarding it an eWEEK Labs Analyst's Choice. When compared to managing a traditional hardware or biometric-based solution, the PhoneFactor service really makes sense. Since no special reader hardware is required, users can access applications from any system. Also, if a user loses the phone, it's a simple matter to change the number in that account, which is much easier than having to send out a new token or smart card."

PhoneFactor authentication service was announced at Spring Interop but was officially launched in September. It eliminates the need for third-party authentication devices like smart cards, soft tokens, or biometric devices to help credential user access to authorized applications and files.

"We were delighted to receive such a prestigious award from eWEEK's review of our PhoneFactor service," said Evan Conway, SVP of Sales, Positive Networks. "We believe that PhoneFactor is an ideal service for companies who want a powerful and simple means of authenticating their end users with full support for VPN appliances, Citrix, and Microsoft Outlook Web Access. Best of all it's free."

PhoneFactor is a free Web-based service for organizations seeking a powerful yet simple way of authenticating end users for access to authorized business-critical applications. It is available for free in 30 countries including: the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Spain, China, Japan, Israel, South Korea and Australia, among others, but may include toll charges to mobile phones where additional fees are incurred. In countries where PhoneFactor is not free, Positive Networks will pass along discounted costs for calls to authenticate users.

eWEEK's Steve Vaughn-Nichols also tried out PhoneFactor and had a similar experience. "Our IT staff loved it. Of course, if you want to get beyond the PhoneFactor basics, Positive Networks will be more than happy to charge you for such features as support, customization, better integration with your existing systems, etc. I don't know what the extra costs are, but frankly, if I were a CIO, I'd be happy to pay the bill. This has got to be the easiest way I've ever heard of for implementing two-factor authentication. And, best of all, since it relies on ordinary telephones, if your mobile user has any way of getting on the net, he or she can also be securely connected with your network or applications," he wrote.

About PhoneFactor

PhoneFactor is a Web-based service that can be set up within minutes and without the purchase of hardware or packaged software. The service is easy to implement and seamlessly integrates with existing Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS), Microsoft Active Directory, and RADIUS servers. No software is installed on the phone, and users can easily be set up through a simple Active Directory import. Positive Networks also provides 24x7 end user and IT administrator support.

About eWEEK

eWEEK magazine is a weekly publication that provides complete news analysis, product reviews and unbiased expert opinion that help guide IT decision-makers to the best choices for their companies, and helps them to successfully evaluate, deploy and leverage new technology solutions for competitive business advantage. The publication covers the most critical issues, trends, people, platforms and technologies affecting business and important to enterprise-wide computing. It is available online at http://www.eweek.com. eWEEK is a Ziff Davis Enterprise, Inc. publication.

About Positive Networks

Positive Networks is the leading provider of hosted security services, including the award-winning PositivePRO VPN service and the PhoneFactor two-factor authentication service. PositivePRO VPN service provides secure remote access and endpoint security without an SSL VPN appliance, and PhoneFactor, the industry's first easy-to-use phone-based two-factor authentication service. Both services can be set up quickly, and include 24x7 end user and IT administrator support.

Positive Networks was awarded "Best-in-Class" Managed SSL VPN Service Provider for SMBs by Stratecast Partners and was an AlwaysON AO100 selection. PositivePRO is a 2006 IT Week Magazine, Network Technology, Service Provider Weekly, Security Week, PC News Weekly, Hosting Weekly, and WebWeek Magazine "Editor's Choice" selection, and an Info Security Product Guide Product Excellence Award winner for Best SSL VPN Managed Service. The company was a finalist for a 2007 SC Magazine Excellence Award. For more information, please call 877-No-Token (877-668-6536) or visit www.positivenetworks.com or www.phonefactor.net.