VeriSign expands mobile authentication

Web authentication and security firm VeriSign has expanded its mobile, cloud based authentication service to the Android platform.

The VeriSign Identity Protection (VIP) Access for Mobile application is a free tool which turns a into user’s mobile device into VIP credentials for strong authentication, requiring a username, password and a unique one-time six-digit security code, the firm said.

VIP Access for Mobile now has added support for the new Nexus One Android-based device from Google as well as other Android phones from HTC, Samsung and Motorola.

Kerry Loftus, vice president of user authentication at VeriSign, argued that with the free VIP Access for Mobile application now available for a whole new mobile platform the “protective net of VIP authentication is spreading”.

"As mobile devices become the preferred way for communicating, banking, social networking and accessing rich media content, the need for enhanced logon and transaction security is greater than ever," said Loftus.

"VeriSign Identity Protection provides enterprises and consumers the tools to access a very cost-effective cloud-based security solution built to foil the criminal efforts of hackers, identity thieves and fraudsters.”

The app is available free from the Android Market and is already available on the iPhone, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile platforms and handsets supporting the most popular J2ME and BREW platforms.