CertiVox to Provide Parallels with Advanced Single Sign-On, Multi-Factor Security and Authentication Technology

LONDON & RENTON, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CertiVox, a leading Web 2.0 security company, and Parallels^®, a hosting and cloud services enablement leader, today announced a new multi-year security partnership agreement. Building on the companies’ existing relationship, CertiVox will integrate its SkyPin™ Multi-Factor Authentication Service across Parallels cloud services enablement portfolio, including Parallels Automation, Parallels Plesk^® Panel and Parallels Plesk^® Automation. Parallels also plans to specify CertiVox’s SkyPin service as a single sign-on security and user authentication layer within the next generation of the Application Packaging Standard (APS), thus enabling single sign-on capabilities for future APS-packaged hosted applications.

“CertiVox looks forward to not only providing our security technology and expertise to Parallels own software, but also serving as a single sign-on authentication standard for the next version of the APS specification.”

CertiVox’s SkyPin is a patent-pending technology based upon widely-accepted IEEE, IETF and NIST information security standards and protocols. It is built upon the proven cryptographic strength of elliptic curve cryptography, and the familiarity of an ATM style PIN, rather than a username and password. SkyPin is more memorable, more secure and more convenient than a username and password. It is also more scalable – a critical consideration, as integration will potentially provide authentication for millions of Parallels administrators and end-users.

“Parallels continues to reinforce its leadership position in the cloud enablement industry, and this agreement is a testament to their dedication to deliver an even higher level of user authentication and security across its entire portfolio,” said Brian Spector, CEO, CertiVox. “CertiVox looks forward to not only providing our security technology and expertise to Parallels own software, but also serving as a single sign-on authentication standard for the next version of the APS specification.”

“By partnering with CertiVox and our future deployment of its SkyPin technology, we’ll be able to provide Parallels service provider partners and their end users with an even higher level of user authentication and credential protection,” said John Zanni, vice president of service provider marketing and alliances, Parallels. “CertiVox has pioneered the development of innovative, multi-factor authentication. Our agreement with CertiVox builds on our joint commitment to open standards and for delivering the next generation of security and credential management to the 9,000 service providers and millions of end-users who rely on us.”

Most service providers and hosters deploy only username and password combinations to identify and authenticate their end-users and to provision their services. This creates potential security challenges in several crucial operational areas, including:

Legal and regulatory – Many authorities do not consider username and password as a “due diligence” method of authenticating users, especially in the case of a data breach. Service providers still relying on username and password technology could find themselves at increasing risk of prosecution and reputational damage.

Administrative/workflow – Multiple usernames and passwords are easily and often forgotten by individuals. It is estimated that over 80% of service providers’ help desk calls are from end-users - both administrators and individuals - who have forgotten their username/password combination, clogging support lines and increasing operational costs.

Financial – Many individuals within end-user organizations share username and password information without purchasing additional software, application licenses and subscriptions. Every password share can result in revenue leakage for the service provider and/or independent software vendor.

The CertiVox/Parallels integration will enable Parallels partners and end-users to log on and authenticate themselves securely using SkyPin two-factor authentication. Service providers will use SkyPin to authenticate themselves in Parallels software for configuring service options and managing the storefronts and applications they deliver to their end-user customers. Hosting customers such as account administrators will log onto their Parallels control panels using SkyPin to configure access to cloud services by users across their businesses. And end-users in these businesses will use SkyPin to access the cloud services pre-configured for their use.

About CertiVox

CertiVox is a leading web security company that provides authentication and encryption-based SaaS (software as a service) solutions to government, enterprises and individuals. It helps them to simply and cost-effectively secure and manage their information exchange, including messages and files. It also enables device and software developers to secure and protect their cloud based products, with confidence. For more information, visit www.CertiVox.com.

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About Parallels

Parallels is a worldwide leader in hosting and cloud service enablement and desktop virtualization. Founded in 1999, Parallels is a fast-growing company with more than 900 employees in North America, Europe, and Asia.

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