DAILY NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR THE GLOBAL GRID COMMUNITY / SEPTEMBER 29, 2003: VOL. 2 NO. 39    ( Table of Contents )

Breaking News - Security:

RSA Announces Products To Deliver Identity, Access Management

RSA Security Inc , the most trusted name in e-security, announced RSA ClearTrust v5.5 Web access management software. Delivering advanced user management capabilities, Web services support (including SAML v1.1-compliant federated identity management capabilities), robust transactional authorization functionality and unparalleled integration with Microsoft platforms, RSA Security demonstrates progress in its Identity and Access Management strategy with this new release of RSA ClearTrust software. RSA Security's Identity and Access Management strategy includes an integrated architecture (codenamed NEXUS), new products and strategic alliances that enable organizations to quickly derive quantifiable business value -- including reduced costs, enhanced revenue opportunities and increased user productivity -- from their online applications by securely leveraging digital identities across their infrastructure.

"Global enterprises are today faced with the increasing complexity of securely managing expanded populations of users accessing internal and external applications and systems," said Ray Wagner, research director at Gartner Inc. "To meet these challenges, it is critical that they implement a flexible identity management solution that integrates easily with existing technology, protocols and standards. Features like innovative user administration, support for federated identity initiatives, and strong out-of-the-box integration options increase the value of these solutions."

RSA ClearTrust Web access management software is designed to be a primary component of any identity management system. It is intended to allow organizations to provide secure access to Web applications within intranets, extranets, portals and exchange infrastructures -- with transparent, single sign-on access for a positive user experience. Enabling such access can improve communication and facilitate business with customers, strengthen partner relationships and bolster employee productivity. With RSA ClearTrust v5.5 software, customers will be able to receive the full benefits of identity management within their existing e-business environment.

"One of the greatest identity challenges that we face today involves efficiently and cost-effectively managing user identities, and ensuring the appropriate access rights are being granted," said Don Richmond, manager, authorization and directory services at Raymond James Financial. "The new release of RSA ClearTrust software will allow us to take advantage of several significant new features such as Transactional Smart Rules for real-time dynamic authorization decisions and incorporate various data sources into the decision process."

RSA ClearTrust v5.5 software offers new functionality in the primary areas of concentration within RSA Security's Identity and Access Management strategy:

• User Management Services -- The new RSA ClearTrust Advanced User Management Module, with technology licensed from Thor Technologies, provides robust user self-service and approval workflow automation capabilities that help relieve administration workload, expedite deployment and lower total cost of ownership. The Advanced User Management Module provides user self-service capabilities for account creation, group assignments, profile updates and password re-sets. Automated approval workflow functionality is designed to offer a flexible workflow engine that allows customers to model their business processes and policies for transparent automation, helping to reduce administrative costs.
• Identity Authority Services -- The RSA ClearTrust Federated Identity Management Module provides the first commercially available Security Assertions Markup Language (SAML) functionality for generating and consuming SAML v1.1 assertions, enabling customers to leverage identities across business boundaries to drive new relationships and business models. Features of the implementation include full Web-based administration, simple installation and configuration, a time-saving policy cloning feature and advanced built-in security capabilities, including digital signatures, certificate validation and authentication mapping between different sites.
• Access Authority Services -- Transactional Smart Rules extends the business rules and user properties of RSA ClearTrust software, enabling real-time dynamic authorization decisions based on attributes from multiple data sources, including databases, directories, XML, flat files or Web services. This powerful capability allows customers to implement sophisticated authorization rules using real-time business data and processes.
• Network and Application Integration Services -- RSA ClearTrust software support for Microsoft platforms has been further enhanced to help ensure usability and platform coverage. This new functionality includes support for Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and provides single sign-on capability to Microsoft applications via integration with the new Kerberos Protocol Transition and Constrained Delegation capabilities.

"RSA Security is an established leader in the identity and access management space, providing authentication, access management and developer solutions that help customers worldwide to reap the rewards of an effective identity infrastructure -- within and beyond the enterprise," said Jason Lewis, vice president of product management and marketing at RSA Security. "RSA ClearTrust software is designed to be the foundation for an identity infrastructure, enabling customers to improve customer retention, grow revenue, increase productivity and reduce costs."