1Password launches Extended Access Management to secure unmanaged apps and devices – Business
Cybersecurity and password service provider 1Password LLC today announced the launch of 1Password Extended Access Management, a new service that extends beyond traditional identity and access management to secure unmanaged applications and devices.
The company describes Extended Access Management as a new category of security software that closes the “Access Trust Gap” in the identity and access management landscape. The solution provides end users with authentication across all applications and devices, allowing organizations to secure themselves, realize significant productivity gains and cost savings and empower employees to be proactive about compliance and remediation, according to 1Password.
1Password argues that as the nature of work continues to change, with hybrid and remote work now the norm, the frequency of access to business applications from personal devices will only continue to increase. A previous report from 1Password found that one in three employees uses unapproved apps and tools to boost productivity, and “shadow information technology,” or unsanctioned and unmanaged apps and websites, has become the norm, with 79% of security pros feeling that their security protections are adequate.
“Security tools haven’t kept pace with the modern work environment, leaving security and IT teams without the ability to prevent sensitive data from flowing into unmanaged applications or block compromised devices from accessing critical applications,” said Chief Executive Jeff Shiner. “Businesses everywhere are facing the Access Trust Gap, a measure of the percentage of total sign-ins that aren’t trusted. The greater the gap, the greater the risk of a data breach.”
Extended Access Management provides security and IT teams with a way to secure every sign-in to every application – managed or unmanaged – from every device. The service allows companies to manage shadow IT not secured behind single sign-on, as well as unmanaged devices unprotected by mobile device management or outside its scope altogether, such as with personal devices used for business too.
The new offering includes six key components the company says ensure that every identity is authentic, every application sign-in is secure and all devices are healthy.
Device trust ensures the security of devices by actively monitoring their health in real time to detect and fix compliance issues before access is granted, accommodating both personal devices and those used by contractors.
Additionally, a “user identity” feature, set for beta release later this year, enhances workforce security by overseeing the full spectrum of end-user identity management, from granting initial access to managing the offboarding process. Another feature, “application visibility,” launching later this year, provides IT and security teams with critical insights into the usage of unmanaged applications, including shadow IT within their organizations, enabling them to manage previously unrecognized applications effectively.
The enterprise password management system offers a solution for storing and sharing essential credentials and sensitive data, ranging from login details and SSH keys to credit card information, using 1Password’s enterprise password manager. Contextual access management implements policies that restrict access to applications from compromised devices while also providing guidance for end-users to remediate issues swiftly and regain access.
Along with the new product announcement, 1Password also revealed that it had recently surpassed 150,000 business customers, adding Stripe Inc., the Golden State Warriors and Hitachi Solutions Ltd. to its customer roster.
1Password is a venture capital-backed startup, having raised $920 million to date, including a round of $620 million on a $6.8 billion valuation in January 2022, a record investment for a Canadian company.