Authenticator

Full Title or Meme

Authenticators are devices in the user possession that can generate a one-time password.

Context

• Authenticators may be independent hardware devices, or may be software running on a User Device that contains a Trusted Execution Environment to hold user Credentials that are used to create claims for the user.

Problem

Give users a hand-held device that can generate password for access to secure accounts.

Solution

• The original Security Dynamics (later RSA, now Dell) Authenticator was a small hand held device that continually generated a password every (eg 30) seconds that could be sync'd with the server.
• Now Microsoft, Google and others offer Authencators as Smart Phone Native Apps.

The following is a list of some of the Authentictors now in use.

1. RSA SecurID is the original device. It came in multiple form factors.
2. Symantec VIP Security Card size of a credit card.
3. Symantec VIP Security Token size of a key fob.
4. Feitian MultiPass FIDO Security Key
5. Google Authenticator Native App