Okta Combines SSO, Multi-Factor Authorization for Cloud Apps

In an effort to bring better security to cloud applications, specialist Okta has launched a combined single sign-on (SSO) and multifactor authentication (MFA) solution.

For the uninitiated, “multifactor authentication” refers to the concept of using more than just a password to sign on — having the password wouldn’t be enough for malicious parties to get into the system. The “more” could refer to security questions or — the most common implementation in the modern enterprise — a secure token in smartphone app form.

Okta’s new security solution supports both types, and comes with a centralized policy management console to set rules for which applications can be accessed using MFA from where and at what frequency, according to the press release. And while it can be used in the core Okta system for any cloud app it protects, this new tool will integrate with existing security solutions to help customers leverage what they already have.

Single sign-on, meanwhile, has been Okta’s bread and butter, providing users with one username and one password that gets them into their organization’s whole range of SaaS applications. In fact, Okta recently made a name for itself in the channel thanks to a partnership with leading Google Apps Authorized Reseller Cloud Sherpas. And while Google Apps already offers MFA, I’m sure some of the other cloud applications Cloud Sherpas resells support it.

None of the technology Okta is rolling out in this solution is original. But to my knowledge, it’s the first to combine SSO and MFA in a way that can be applied to any cloud application. Rest assured, we’ll keep an eye on Okta and cloud security matters going forward, so stay tuned.