Freja: a complete solution for managing strong authentication

Technical perspective | Business perspective

Freja is a complete solution for managing strong authentication for internal and external users. By basing Freja on open standards (OATH), strong authentication can be provided at competitive pricing while maintaining high security. The open standards also provide freedom for our customers to choose from a host of devices ranging from smartphones and SMS based OTP (one-time passwords) to traditional hardware tokens. Freja is a cost efficient solution for medium to large deployments of strong authentication.

Through its self-service provisioning portal, Freja can handle registration of hardware and software devices without any manual involvement of a help desk. This feature radically reduces lead time and cost for deployment and user activation.

Regional and national IDP:s

Freja is designed to meet requirements not only for local authentication but also for remote authentication to collaborative/regional or National IDP:s (Identity Providers). For example, London PSN has chosen Freja as the edge component of the London IDP servicing all London boroughs. Users who have been through London's vetting process for identity verification are issued a one-time password token which can be used for access not only to national services but also to their local corporate networks and to regional services. Freja can handle a mixed population of users, some only authenticating locally, some regionally and some nationally. The goal of course being to consolidate the number of authentication devices in the organization.

Technical perspective

Freja is a rack-mountable hardware appliance based on an OEM DELL server. The appliance is installed on the internal network with both external and internal access.

All software is pre-loaded on the appliance and administration is provided through a WebGUI, accessible through a separate administration interface (NIC).

• Quick deployment: Freja is an appliance that requires minimum time for installation and configuration.
• Self Service: The Freja self service portal allows for user self service registration, regardless of device type. This radically reduces lead time and cost for device deployment and user activation.
• Non-intrusive: The Freja appliance can easily be setup in existing infrastructure and can use existing AD schemes without requiring any changes. Existing FW can be used to request strong authentication from Freja.
• Flexible: Freja comes with two different API:s (SOAP and STS), that provide programmatic interfaces allowing integration with portals, single sign-on systems or legacy applications.
• Open standards based: OATH, RADIUS, SOAP, SAML2.
• Next business day support: Faulty hardware reported before 11 a.m. is replaced on the next business day.
• 24 / 7 service and support: available for an additional, individually priced service fee.
• Web interface: Quick update by downloading firmware or software upgrades.
• Interoperability: Through its Security Token Service implementation, Freja can be used as the authentication component of an identity provider.

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Business perspective

With Freja, authentication can be provided to larger user communities thereby maximising the benefits from strong authentication. Using open standards allows for lower prices while maintaining a high level of security.

• Low cost alternative: By using open standards, Freja provides a low cost alternative to proprietary solutions.
• Ability to provide secure and cost effective solutions to larger user groups
• Customised authentication solution for diversified user groups in a single appliance.
• Free choice of open standard devices: no limitation to specific supplier. Any device compliant with the open standard for authentication (OATH) can be used with Freja.
• Minimum impact to existing infrastructure: Freja is an appliance that plugs into an existing infrastructure with a minimum of configuration. Existing directories can be used without the need for schema or other major changesto the environment.
• Less administration: all user information is only stored in existing directories.
• High availability:. Freja is typically delivered with redundant and mirrored units with next business day support on hardware components. Support is always included in the price for a period of three years.

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