Centrify joins AppConfig.org to improve security of regional mobile applications

Centrify, a vendor in securing hybrid enterprises through the power of identity services, announced that it has expanded support for Windows endpoints, including laptops, desktops and mobile devices, and joined AppConfig.org to streamline app and device provisioning, extend IT security policy and provide end-users with more device choices.

These enhancements to Centrify’s mobile-centric identity management solutions will let organisations in the Middle East further realise seamless, context-aware policy across all the applications, endpoints and devices their users prefer — all from a single integrated solution.

“The world of security needs to move away from a legacy static perimeter-based approach to addressing the need to protect millions of scattered connections in an increasingly boundary-less hybrid enterprise. Centrify’s goal is to stop breaches through the power of identity services, and by tightly integrating mobile and identity policy into a single solution, we are creating a more robust way to ensure that only the right people have access to the right apps and data from managed devices,” said Kamel Heus, Regional Manager, Middle East and Africa, Centrify.

In this age of access, enabling user choice, while maintaining a highly secure environment is critical. The new Windows management features let IT organisations manage Windows endpoints from the cloud, including blocking app access from unmanaged devices, and further extends Centrify’s Zero Sign-On capabilities to Windows, so once users are securely authenticated the first time, they never have to type in their ID again when launching an app.

This new feature builds on and extends Centrify’s existing industry, leading identity support for Mac, iOS, Linux and Android endpoints, as well as its multi-factor authentication support for Linux and Windows login and privilege elevation. Combined with Centrify’s released Analytics Service that uses machine learning to assess risk based on user behavior patterns, organisations get needed help in stopping anomalous access requests across apps, sites, and resources.

Furthering its commitment to securing access to the boundary-less hybrid enterprise, Centrify has also joined AppConfig, a collection of industry leading enterprise mobility management solution providers and app developers that have come together to make it easier for developers and customers to drive mobility in business. The community’s mission is to streamline the adoption and deployment of mobile enterprise applications by providing a standard approach to app configuration and management, building upon the extensive app security and configuration frameworks available in the OS.

What is the AppConfig Community?

The AppConfig Community is a collection of industry leading EMM solution providers and app developers that have come together to make it easier for developers and customers to drive mobility in business. The community’s mission is to streamline the adoption and deployment of mobile enterprise applications by providing a standard approach to app configuration and management, building upon the extensive app security and configuration frameworks available in the OS.

Working together, the members of the AppConfig Community are making it simpler for developers to implement a consistent set of controls so that enterprise IT administrators can easily configure and manage apps according to their business policies and requirements.

Historically, developers used proprietary software development kits to enable configuration and management features of their apps through EMM. This required app developers to build different versions of their apps for each EMM vendor.

Now, with AppConfig Community tools and best practices, developers do not require EMM-specific integrations for many enterprise use cases. End users also benefit from automated features such as an out-of-the-box experience to give the users instant app access without requiring cumbersome setup flows or user credentials.

Centrify Identity Service enables organisations to get more value from their investment by allowing greater endpoint choice, without compromising security. Not only can Centrify provision new user accounts into cloud and mobile apps, it can also push those apps to the users’ BYOD or corporate-owned devices, as well as push the initial configuration to speed day-one productivity across any and all endpoints.

This means organisations can increase productivity and eliminate helpdesk calls by accelerating onboarding for users with day-one provisioning of both endpoints and apps. And they save money by securing applications—and the endpoints used to access those apps—from a single context-aware solution. Finally, Centrify leverages endpoints such as Windows as the means to facilitate MFA to enable stronger authentication and lessen organisation’s dependency on security via passwords.

Centrify redefines security from a legacy static perimeter-based approach to protecting millions of scattered connections in a boundary-less hybrid enterprise. As the only industry recognised leader in both Privileged Identity Management and Identity-as-a-Service, Centrify provides a single platform to secure each user’s access to apps and infrastructure through the power of identity services.