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Sometimes the stars align for two companies to be more than just partners.
Oracle (Quote) Wednesday agreed to buy multi-factor
authentication and fraud detection software maker Bharosa for an
undisclosed sum.
While most startups in the security software space pick one area to
specialize in, Bharosa
(meaning “trust” in Hindi) is unique because it offers two core products
that work closely together to prevent crimes perpetrated through identity
theft.
Protecting against identity theft is a key requirement for companies
exchanging information with partners or customers through the Internet,
which has generally leaked data like a sieve for determined hackers.
Companies must also meet regulatory mandates such as FFIEC, PCI, and
Sarbanes-Oxley, which demand that companies provide higher levels of
assurance of users’ identities and their intent. Bharosa’s software helps
make sure users are who they say they are and pinpoints anomalies in
computer access and usage.
Bharosa Tracker verifies several factors to confirm identity, including the
PC and mobile device used to log-in, as well as a user’s location and
behavioral profiles to score risk and alert organizations to potential
fraud. This multi-factor authentication can be applied without requiring any
change to the user experience.
Bharosa Authenticator comprises a suite of secure Virtual Authentication
Devices — software that works like hardware — used to enter and encrypt
sensitive password and PIN data online.
Oracle and Bharosa are well acquainted with one another. Bharosa, which has
reeled in 25 million users thanks to key partnerships and high-profile
customers, has been helping Oracle implement fraud protection for its
financial, e-commerce, government and health care applications since
October.
In that arrangement, Authenticator and Tracker products are used with the
Oracle Access Manager to authenticate users based on business rules and
workflows using multiple factors.
Should the acquisition close in August as expected, Oracle said in a
statement it will pair Tracker and Authenticator with its Web single sign-on
and Web-based authorization tools to extend internal Web single sign-on
(SSO) solutions to external users.
Oracle added that Tracker and Authenticator will continue to be available on
a standalone basis with integrations for Oracle and non-Oracle environments,
as well as integrated with Oracle Identity Management.
Bharosa is the latest in a series of vendors the software giant has
acquired, including Oblix,
Thor Technologies and OctetString, to shore up security for its customers.
This article was first published on InternetNews.com. To read the full article, click here.
