HID and Microsoft have announced a new collaboration that introduces an integration of Microsoft Entra ID and the HID Authentication Platform. This partnership marks a significant milestone in multi-factor authentication (MFA) by enabling users to leverage existing physical access cards as MFA credentials for accessing resources like Entra ID and Microsoft 365.
A New Step Towards Passwordless Security
The integration is designed to make passwordless authentication more accessible for organisations by simplifying MFA deployment and fostering faster user adoption for Entra ID. It offers organisations more flexible options to meet Microsoft’s mandatory MFA requirements while accelerating the shift toward phishing-resistant authentication methods.
Eleanor Falla, Senior Product Manager for Microsoft Security, emphasised the importance of this development: “Deploying MFA is one of the most important steps to securing user identities. HID’s integration offers flexibility with multiple authenticator choices and allows organisations to use existing physical access cards to secure both physical and digital resources.”
Enhancing MFA Deployment with HID Authentication Service
Research from Microsoft highlights the power of MFA, showing that it can reduce security risks by over 99.2%. HID’s new service, powered by its secure cloud platform, streamlines MFA deployment for Entra ID users. Whether organisations are in the early phases of their passwordless journey or looking to fully implement phishing-resistant authentication, HID’s platform is designed to cater to high-assurance industries.
Sean Dyon, Director of Strategic Alliances at HID, highlighted their long-standing partnership with Microsoft: “Our solutions meet enterprises wherever they are on the ‘crawl, walk, run’ path to completely phishing-resistant passwordless authentication. This integration allows us to optimise the user experience and manage change effectively with extensive MFA options for a wide range of needs.”
Key Benefits of the HID-Microsoft Entra ID Integration
- Tailored Flexibility: HID offers the broadest range of MFA methods in the industry, including hardware OTP tokens, security keys, smart cards with FIDO technology, PKI/CBA, and physical access cards.
- Convenience: HID is the first vendor to enable organisations to use physical access cards for Entra ID. This feature unifies physical and digital access, eliminating the need for employees to use their personal phones or install additional software.
- Trusted Security: With more than 20 years of expertise, HID ensures secure, fast deployment of MFA systems that meet Microsoft’s requirements without sacrificing productivity.
This partnership not only enhances user convenience but also empowers organisations with a future-ready, secure, and flexible authentication solution tailored to their unique security needs.
