Entrust GetAccess 7.0 Software Adds SAML and Microsoft .NET Passport Support to Enhance User Identification and Entitlements

Upcoming release expands breadth of authentication methods for enterprise and government customers to share sensitive information and streamline business processes across Web Portal applications

12 Nov 2002

DALLAS - Entrust, Inc. [NASDAQ: ENTU], a leading global provider of Internet security solutions and services, today announced the planned release of Entrust GetAccess 7.0, the next generation of Entrust's standards-based Web single-sign-on and access management software.

Entrust GetAccess 7.0 is a key component of the Entrust Secure Web Portal Solution that enables access to sensitive information and applications through a single point of entry. Supporting a broad range of authentication methods across both wired and wireless networks, the software helps customers offer personalized services to a greater number of users in a faster, more cost-effective manner. Entrust GetAccess 7.0 offers enterprise-scale performance and reliability without sacrificing security for both enterprises and government agencies.

"Being able to identify with whom you are doing business online and providing them with the appropriate level of access to information and applications based on their identity is critical to online application success," said Jay Robertson, chief technology officer, PricewaterhouseCoopers beTRUSTed. "Entrust GetAccess provides the key features needed to deploy online applications quickly and securely by enabling each application to leverage a common infrastructure to manage identities and entitlements."

The Entrust GetAccess 7.0 software expands its current breadth of authentication methods to include the Security Assertions Markup Language (SAML) 1.0, which was recently ratified as an OASIS Open Standard. SAML enables businesses to more easily and securely interact with other organizations by providing a standard way to define user authentication, entitlements and attribute information in XML documents that are exchanged between sites. Entrust was a founding member of the Organization for Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) Security Services Technical Committee and continues to contribute to SAML's development. In addition, Entrust is a member of the Liberty Alliance Project and has helped define and deliver Phase 1.0 of the project, which is the first industry-sponsored business application of SAML.

"As an active participant in the OASIS Security Services Technical Committee, Entrust plays an instrumental role in defining and advancing SAML," said Patrick Gannon, president and CEO of OASIS. "Entrust GetAccess 7.0's support for SAML clearly demonstrates the company's commitment to interoperability and the implementation of open standards."

In addition to SAML support, Entrust GetAccess 7.0 includes support for Microsoft .NET Passport, and features enhanced entitlements and n-level delegation capabilities.

Support for Microsoft .NET Passport - a service that allows users to access participating .NET Passport sites using a single username and password - broadens Entrust GetAccess' support of authentication methods.

"We're pleased to see Entrust add support for Passport in GetAccess 7.0 for Entrust enterprise and government customers worldwide," said Brian Arbogast, corporate vice president, .NET Core Services Platform, Microsoft Corporation. "Passport is the largest public authentication system in the world, and allowing Entrust customers to take advantage of the Passport authentication service will deliver real value to customers of GetAccess and will increase the number of sites and services where consumers can use their Passports to get a personalized Web experience."

As an extension of Entrust's continued commitment to open industry standards, a new enhanced entitlements capability based on XACML (an XML-based standard for access controls) will also be included. Enhancing the existing rules- and roles-based access controls, this new feature delivers the ability to restrict access to portal resources based on context-sensitive policies. This includes, for example, the ability to restrict access to specific services based on the time of day or authentication method presented at login.

To provide customers with greater flexibility in the deployment and management of new Web-based services, Entrust GetAccess 7.0 will also include enhanced n-level administrative delegation capabilities. Using the new software, customers can more easily delegate administrative control over portal resources to any level within their employee, partner, or customer base in accordance with their business processes and policies. By appropriately distributing user administration, Entrust GetAccess customers have a better ability to deliver new online services to market more quickly and efficiently.

"Entrust GetAccess customers have long valued the product as a high-performance, flexible, and secure Web single sign-on and access management solution," said Ian Curry, vice president and chief marketing officer at Entrust. "The Entrust GetAccess 7.0 software delivers comprehensive, personalized services and extends our ability to support a broad range of authentication methods by adding support for SAML and Microsoft .NET Passport to existing methods that include username/passwords, digital IDs, mobile devices and more."

Availability
Entrust GetAccess 7.0 is expected to be commercially available in Q1, 2003 direct from Entrust or authorized channels.

Entrust is a registered trademark of Entrust, Inc. in the United States and certain other countries. Entrust is a registered trademark of Entrust Limited in Canada. All other Entrust product names and service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Entrust, Inc or Entrust Limited. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.