SAN FRANCISCO — September 12, 2018 — Okta, Inc. (NASDAQ:OKTA), the leading independent provider of identity for the enterprise, and Yubico, the leading provider of authentication security keys, today announced a new initiative to provide a free YubiKey Starter Pack to every Okta customer that uses Okta Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) or Okta Adaptive MFA. By offering strong hardware-based protection of the YubiKey as a factor option with Okta’s MFA solutions, Okta and Yubico can provide an added layer of security for high-target individuals in an enterprise.
To help prevent and mitigate credential compromises – which account for more than 80% of data breaches – organizations are increasingly adopting MFA and using stronger step-up authentication with Okta Adaptive MFA to better protect their sensitive user data. YubiKeys, strong hardware-based protection in the form of physical devices, provide an option for a second factor in Okta MFA. Because highly privileged roles such as IT administrators and executives have access to a broad scope of user controls and information, Okta and Yubico have partnered to offer customers a way to get started with a free YubiKey Starter Pack with Okta MFA.
"In today's Zero Trust world, MFA is no longer a luxury – it's a must. Every user is a potential target, and high-value targets or key technical individuals such as IT administrators have access to some of the most sensitive corporate information available," said Frederic Kerrest, Chief Operating Officer and co-founder, Okta. "The Okta and Yubico partnership provides companies with broader options to step up security – helping to ensure only the right people have access to the right data, at the right time."
Universal Second Factor (U2F) security tokens, such as the YubiKey, provide the strongest level of defense against phishing and man-in-the-middle attacks, while also delivering a simple and seamless user experience. The Okta co-branded YubiKey Starter Pack includes two YubiKey security keys, which can be used as the primary or back-up authentication method in conjunction with Okta Verify.
“Strong, phishing-resistant authentication is critical at all levels of an enterprise, but even more so for administrators with elevated access and capabilities,” said Stina Ehrensvard, CEO and Founder, Yubico. “By putting YubiKeys in the hands of these individuals, together with the power of Okta MFA, we have the opportunity to further improve the security posture for Okta customers worldwide.”
Organizations such as Verifone, which helps transform every day transactions into new and engaging opportunities for merchants and consumers at the last inch of payments and commerce, are already using Okta and Yubico as an additional layer of protection for their users.
“As the global leader in payment and commerce solutions, Verifone is responsible for making sure our customers succeed in every environment and condition without having to worry about security,” said David Belcher, Sr. Director of IT Enterprise Services, Verifone. “That’s precisely why we trust Okta as our provider of identity to securely manage access and help to minimize security risks. Layered with Yubico’s physical token solution, it provides us with maximum assurance and peace of mind in our security posture, especially when it comes to the most privileged users within our organization.”
Details + Availability
The YubiKey Starter Pack is available to all Okta MFA and Adaptive MFA customers starting today. For more information, visit: https://www.okta.com/partners/yubico.
For more information about the Yubico and Okta solution, visit: https://www.yubico.com/works-with/okta.
About Yubico
Yubico sets new global standards for simple and secure access to computers, mobile devices, servers, and internet accounts. The company’s core invention, the YubiKey, delivers strong hardware protection, with a simple touch, across any number of IT systems and online services. The YubiHSM, Yubico’s ultra-portable hardware security module, protects sensitive data stored in servers.
Yubico is a leading contributor to both the FIDO2 and FIDO Universal 2nd Factor open authentication standards, and the company’s technology is deployed and loved by 9 of the top 10 internet brands and by millions of users in 160 countries. Founded in 2007, Yubico is privately held, with offices in Sweden, UK, Germany, USA, Australia, and Singapore. For more information: www.yubico.com.
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