WatchGuard launches new solution to thwart dark web hacks

WatchGuard Technologies, a global specialist in unified cybersecurity, has unveiled AuthPoint Total Identity Security, a comprehensive bundle that combines the AuthPoint multi-factor authentication (MFA) with dark web credential monitoring capabilities and a corporate password manager.

The introduction of this new product, paired with the zero trust risk-based policies of WatchGuard's Unified Security Platform architecture, enables managed service providers (MSPs) to provide optimal modern cybersecurity delivery from WatchGuard Cloud.

Carla Roncato, Vice President of Identity at WatchGuard, says, "Stolen or leaked credentials are a primary cause of data breaches, yet passwords remain the most prevalent method of user authentication for organisations.

"And while multi-factor authentication has become a mandatory requirement for organisations, most still need to deal with weak and reused passwords, shared admin passwords, credential leaks on the dark web, and corporate applications with limited MFA support.

"AuthPoint Total Identity Security provides advanced password management capabilities and dark web monitoring to help protect corporate credentials in addition to MFA and web single sign-on."

AuthPoint Total Identity Security is designed to enable MSPs to offer their customers credentials monitoring, on-demand dark web exposure alerts, and password management to reduce issues related to credential compromise with an all-in-one mobile authenticator app for iOS and Android.

AuthPoint Total Identity Security also provides users with an easy-to-manage tool to generate complex passwords that are auto-filled through browser extensions for Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Apples Safari, and Firefox protected by a vault password.

By storing each applications credentials in a password manager, the user needs only to create and remember one unique, complex vault password, which helps mitigate the risk of phishing. 

Key features of AuthPoint Total Identity Security include:

AuthPoint MFA Service: Delivered through WatchGuard Cloud, AuthPoint MFA enables users to configure and manage offline and online verification methods and access policies across endpoints, VPNs, and web applications, and set up single sign-on application portals across multiple customer deployments.

Dark Web Monitoring Service: AuthPoint's on-demand Dark Web Monitoring service notifies customers when compromised credentials, from up to three monitored domains, are found in newly acquired credential breach databases. Alerts are sent to impacted administrators and end users so they can generate new passwords quickly and before an account takeover occurs.

Password Manager: Built with business use cases in mind, AuthPoint's Corporate Password Manager enforces a higher standard for passwords and helps reduce the frequency of password reset requests. Passwords do not need to be remembered as they are stored securely in the vault and further protected by each individual users unique, complex vault password, ensuring only they can decrypt and access the credentials within. When users need to access their apps, they can retrieve their passwords using the AuthPoint mobile app for iOS and Android and/or the browser extension to auto-fill credentials for a smoother overall single sign-on experience.

It provides:

• Corporate Vault: Add credentials and generate strong passwords for commonly used workplace applications where SSO is not enabled. Additionally, administrators can securely share credentials for the common use of an application.
• Private Vault: Add credentials and generate strong passwords for personal and social apps. If the employee leaves the organisation, these personal credentials can be exported and imported to another password manager.

Tom Ruffolo, President and CEO of eSecurity Solutions, LLC, comments, "One of the many reasons we value WatchGuard as a technology partner is because they are continuously expanding their Unified Security Platform framework with new services and cloud offerings to help us better serve our customers.

"The new AuthPoint Total Identity Security bundle combines two categories of identity security into one with password management and multi-factor authentication, and goes further by enabling Dark Web credential monitoring to protect our customers from widespread credential-based risks. These risks affect everyone, and it only takes one compromised credential to result in a successful ransomware attack. This is the kind of product that organisations need right now and for the foreseeable future."