Access management provider SecureAuth Corp., which does business as SecureAuth + Core Security, today debuted two new products aimed at filling a gap in its main target market.

Login for Windows and Login for Mac are built to provide what’s known as adaptive authentication. It’s an emerging method of blocking malicious login attempts that has gained significant traction in recent years, but according to SecureAuth, it wasn’t available for operating systems until now.

The idea behind adaptive authentication is to adjust the level of caution with which a login attempt is treated based on the specific risks at hand. If workers opens an application while at the office, for example, they might only have to enter their username and password. However, if a login attempt originates from remote locations, the users may be prompted to provide additional verification.

The result is a better balance between convenience and security. Companies can enable trusted users to access applications without any unnecessary hurdles, while taking additional precautions in situations where they’re necessary. SecureAuth’s new products extend this model to Windows and Mac.

The tools enable companies to verify login attempts with a variety of methods. A firm can require workers to use a physical authentication device such as a Yubikey, answer a security question or input a onetime password sent to their smartphones, to name a few options.

“In most organizations, users log into a computer with only a password and gain access to a tremendous amount of sensitive data on that system and elsewhere on the network,” said SecureAuth Chief Technology Officer Keith Graham. “By strongly authenticating a user at the initial login, we can trust that identity and eliminate ‘login friction’ from the rest of their day as they access other applications and systems.”

SecureAuth also sees the new products enabling companies to protect their Windows servers better. Since a server can hold a lot more data than a worker’s computer, it’s particularly important to ensure that users who remotely log into a machine via command-line tools are authorized administrators. 

Login for Windows and Login for Mac are the first products SecureAuth has introduced since its merger with Core Security SDI Corp. last September. The move was backed by a $200 million cash infusion from K1 Investment Management and Toba Capital intended to boost the combined company.

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