Cyber security providers Ann Arbor-based Duo Security and Pontiac-based Security Vitals today announced a partnership that will provide Duo’s two-factor authentication (2FA) technology to Security Vitals customers. This will make implementing 2FA easier for IT administrators and customers.
The partnership between Duo Security, a cloud-based Trusted Access provider, and Security Vitals, a cyber security solutions firm, is part of Security Vitals’ 7 key steps to achieving NIST 800-171 Compliance by Dec. 31. The compliance requires manufacturers working with the Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), or NASA to abide by a government-issued industry cyber security standard. If companies do not meet the compliance by the deadline, they will be at risk of losing government contracts and jobs.
“Security Vitals understands the need for efficient, stress-free programs,” says Rob Cote, CEO of Security Vitals. “That’s why we partnered with Duo, a company that emphasizes no agents to install and no tokens to manage. They hold the same values we do — dedication to customers’ needs, and we take care of the ‘little,’ yet important stuff.”
The partnership, which will help to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) from being accessed by unauthorized individuals, will help to fulfill the 2FA requirement of the compliance. The partnership also aims to make the process of becoming NIST compliant easier for Security Vitals’ customers.
“We are pleased to have Security Vitals join our progressively growing managed service provider program,” says Matt Smith, Duo’s vice president of worldwide channels. “Regardless of the industry you play in, implementing 2FA is a big step in remaining compliant with regulations such as PCI, HIPPA, and NIST.”
With the Duo platform, 2FA will require two methods (also referred to as factors) to verify identity. 2FA will strengthen access security by preventing unauthorized users from accessing CUI. The factors can include something a user knows, such as a username or password, in addition to something the user has, such as a smartphone app to approve authentication requests.
