Ping Identification Boosts Frontline Workers Entry With Keyless Purchase

Ping Identification bought a biometrics startup led by a former Accenture enterprise technique analyst to assist strengthen authentication for frontline employees and shared terminal environments.

See Additionally: Identification and Entry Administration (IAM) Market Information 2025

The Denver-based id safety titan stated conventional device-based authentication is ineffective for employees who lack entry to devoted units, making privacy-preserving authentication applied sciences like zero-knowledge biometrics much more essential, stated founder and CEO Andre Durand. He stated Keyless can allow server-side biometric authentication whereas sustaining privateness and compliance.

“We had been particularly on the lookout for an answer,” Durand informed Data Safety Media Group. “We knew biometrics was the method we needed to take, as a result of I really feel it is the very best person expertise. However we additionally knew that we did not need to endorse or again an method that wasn’t inherently architecturally privateness preserving.”

London-based Keyless, based in 2019, employs 71 individuals and has raised $18 million, having most just lately accomplished a $2 million selective funding spherical led by Rialto Ventures and Experian Ventures. The corporate has been led since its inception by Andrea Carmignani, who beforehand spent two-and-a-half years with Accenture as a enterprise technique analyst targeted on Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Italy (see: Ping Identification CEO: Bots Disrupt Identification, Belief Is ‘On Fireplace’).

Authenticating Customers Who Cannot Entry a Cellular Gadget

Ping needed to handle its lack of ability to strongly authenticate customers who would not have entry to cell units or work in environments the place private units are restricted corresponding to name facilities or manufacturing unit flooring. These environments current distinctive challenges the place push notifications and passkeys aren’t viable. Ping wanted a privacy-preserving various, and biometric authentication emerged as the perfect resolution.

“We needed an answer for frontline employees, not only for white-collar staff,” Durand stated. “How will we enable for authentication on shared terminals? It is a bunch of customers simply strolling as much as a shift. It isn’t a devoted gadget.”

As much as 80% of enterprise staff are frontline employees who use shared terminals, aren’t permitted to hold cell units, or work in regulated environments the place device-based apps aren’t allowed, Durand stated. With Keyless, Ping can supply biometric-based account restoration for misplaced or stolen units that’s proof against deepfakes and social engineering, enhancing each safety and person expertise.

“There’s quite a lot of eventualities the place both device-based authentication isn’t allowed or cannot be used,” Durand stated. “We have to strongly authenticate customers in conditions the place the gadget isn’t current, and biometrics is among the applied sciences. While you need to get better your account later, you possibly can simply do your biometric to get your account again and the methods that we’re utilizing are deepfake conscious.”

Conventional biometric options typically contain storing a biometric template, which Durand stated is a dangerous architectural alternative since compromising a central database might result in the theft of irreplaceable, delicate knowledge like face prints or fingerprints. Durand stated Keyless’s innovation is in utilizing a way that permits biometric authentication to happen with out ever storing the biometric knowledge on a server.

“The method known as zero-knowledge biometrics,” Durand stated. “It is a means for us to attain the equal of server-side biometrics with out ever storing your biometric template on the server. And if it is by no means saved on the server, then it might probably’t be compromised.”

Bringing Rigorous Biometrics to Account Restoration

Durand stated privateness preservation and deepfake resistance are important parts of any biometric resolution since risk actors are more and more concentrating on IT assist desks and utilizing deepfake techniques to socially engineer account entry. Keyless gives deepfake detection mechanisms and allows organizations to confidently use biometrics not only for login but in addition for safe re-verification and account restoration.

“Deepfake safety is now the entrance line, and so having a associate that may acknowledge deepfakes in biometrics is tremendous essential,” Durand stated. “In case you might do biometrics and never be involved that these biometrics might ever be compromised, that’s what we’re providing right here. Creating self-service for the assistance heart so the customers can re-onboard themselves via self-service.”

Ping will first embed Keyless expertise into eventualities during which device-less authentication is required most and the corporate’s present options have restricted attain together with shared desktops, manufacturing unit terminals and name heart interfaces. As soon as deployed in these high-need, high-impact use circumstances, Ping will combine Keyless biometrics throughout its wider suite, together with passwordless login and id verification companies.

“An entire id resolution is one in which you’ll authenticate everyone, whether or not or not they’ve a tool,” Durand stated. “Traditionally, all of them logged in with a password. Now they will simply have a look at the machine and it will acknowledge them… I can allow the identical person expertise with out it with this new expertise.”

Ping has been dedicated to passwordless authentication, with present help for Face ID, passkeys and device-native biometrics, however all of those assume the person has a appropriate, functioning gadget. Keyless extends the idea of passwordless entry to all customers no matter gadget availability by leveraging server-side, privacy-preserving biometric authentication, making the answer extra inclusive.

“It is a model of passwordless, and it is the model that persons are used to once they log into apps on their telephone utilizing their Face ID,” Durand stated. “So in all places that you do not have a Face ID expertise quite than a username and password, this actually expands and nearly democratizes that use case.”