Thursby last week released ADmitMac PKI 4. The release is a specialized version of the company’s ADMit Mac software that focuses two factor authentication. The solution is largely aimed at government customers and regulated industries like healthcare where data security is paramount.
Thursby’s ADMitMac is an Active Directory integration solution that offers several features beyond the built-in Active Directory support that Apple provides in OS X. It offers Mac management capabilities, improved browsing of Windows network resources including Microsoft’s distribute file system, and a number of other administrative tools.
ADMitMac PKI expands on those features to include support for two factor user authentication. Two factor authentication requires that users produce a security token, like a smart card, in addition to their username and password. Apple has included support for these types of high security technologies in OS X, but beginning with Lion has deprecated that support and positioned ADMitMac PKI and Centrify’s DirectControl for Mac as solutions going forward.
ADMit Mac PKI offers has several key government certifications to its credit and integrates two factor authentication into the Mac login process as well as key security technology areas like VPN connectivity.
Thursby noted in the announcement that beyond government agencies, one third of large corporations worldwide employ smart card/two factor authentication to some or all of their computing systems.
The company also produces a similar but more consumer-oriented security solution known as PKard that offers smart card/two factor authentication for for remote access to secure web sites (including those used by federal and defense department employees and contractors) and some VPN technologies.
