Unlock Secure User Productivity with Touch ID and SSO Extensions on iOS

Today, we’re announcing new features for iOS devices to ensure the best possible user experience for our customers, while also enforcing strong security protections.

More security is always a good thing in the minds of IT and security administrators, but it can often be burdensome on the end user. One way Apple makes strong security easy for end users on iOS devices is through Touch ID, a fingerprint sensor that can be used to unlock devices and applications, and even authorise payments. Okta Verify version 2.5.2 adds Touch ID support for MFA. This means Okta Adaptive MFA customers can require biometric authentication to accept a push notification or to access Okta Verify one-time passcodes. The added biometric security helps organisations protect sensitive data by enabling an additional layer of security for multi-factor authentication, and all users have to do is tap the Touch ID sensor.

TouchID support is not the only way we are improving seamless, secure access to applications. Have you ever received a link via email that you’ve tried to open on a mobile device only to hit a log-in roadblock? Well, our new functionality, the Okta Extension for iOS, will remove that roadblock by extending Okta’s SSO product to Safari web apps. Generally available today, this complements Okta’s existing solution for SAML-based native mobile SSO for the top enterprise mobile apps like Box, Salesforce and Workday.

What’s more, we’re adding support for private app distribution to iOS and Android devices through Okta Mobility Management (OMM). Many organisations are realising the value of custom mobile apps — in fact, a recent Gartner report found that demand for custom mobile apps will outpace IT’s ability to deliver them by 5x. With the functionality we’re introducing today, organisations can enable access to ANY application on mobile devices through Okta — web or mobile, on-prem or cloud, public or private — so it’s easier than ever to give users access to all the apps and resources they need to get their job done.

You can learn more about how your organisation can benefit from Okta Adaptive MFA here.