RSA is EMC's encryption and network security division, helping leading organizations solve complex IT security challenges. RSA's products and mission consist of a combination of business-critical controls, encryption and tokenization to secure access to organizations' IS infrastructure. The Security division offers a broad range of two-factor authentication solutions to help organizations ensure user identity and meet regulatory compliance requirements. Authentication keys come in several forms, such as hardware and software authenticators that can be applied to a wide range of computing devices. RSA SecurID Technology SecurID is based on passwords and pins, a dual-level access authentication principle. This technology is known to have a more reliable level of user passwords. Cryptographic technology has the ability to automatically change passwords every 60 seconds. The main advantage of SecurID helps to positively identify users before they access critical confidential data systems. Each authenticator has a special symmetric key that is combined with an algorithm to create quick one-time passwords (OTPs). OTPs are stored on the Authentication Manager server for optimal security. OTPs are established and known by the user - the PIN acts as a backup layer which makes it extremely difficult for hackers to exploit. Hardening vulnerabilities in the access control mechanism with layered technology makes SecurID access keys a useful product. Then, despite RSA's specialization in IT security products for major organizations around the world, on March 17, 2011 the company fell victim to a common cyber attack leaving the customer's and RSA's IS infrastructures vulnerable to further exploits . Executive Presidents, Art C...... middle of paper ......al factors for strong authentication solutions. RSA initially declined to disclose some details of the attack to customers for mitigation purposes; this left customers dissatisfied and upset. Several companies have expressed concern about the lack of information about the attack (Green 2011). Works CitedRSA Security Inc. (2010). Solution brief: RSASecurID two-factor authentication. Retrieved from http://www.rsa.com/products/securid/sb/10695_SIDTFA_SB_0210.pdfGreen, T. (2012). RSA: An unapologetic gaze wants to go beyond the fracture. World online. Retrieved from http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/011912-rsa-breach-255042.htmlCoviello, A.(2011). Open letter to RSA SecurID customers. EMC RSA Security Division. Retrieved from http://www.rsa.com/node.aspx?id=3891King, R. (2011). EMC RSA security breach could cost bank customers $100 million. Extracted from
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