On the horizon: Fewer passwords and enhanced security

Updated February 03, 2020

Remembering a password can become a tedious task, especially when interacting with different applications, each requiring their own specific password.

Starting this year, a new service called Single-Sign-on (SSO) will launch to simplify the process of accessing certain applications you need to do your job.

Along with this, we will also be launching Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to improve security and help ensure we are keeping you and your data secure.

SSO enables you with the ability to access multiple applications with a single login ID that you set up and MFA provides an extra layer of authentication when needed to guarantee the right person is accessing the right system and data.

SSO will provide:

  • Improved User Experience – eventually reducing the number of passwords that need to be remembered.
  • Improved Productivity – SSO will eventually provide one-click access to all the resources you need to do your job.

MFA will provide:

  • Reduce Security Risks – by adding an additional authentication step it reduces the risk of non-approved users gaining access to critical systems and data.
  • Necessary Cybersecurity Component – this additional step will also help insure the city is taken yet another step forward in cyber security, especially need with the rise of cloud solutions.

Example of SSO:

Google accounts: You log into your Google account and you can easily navigate from Google to Gmail to YouTube to Google Docs, without having log in for each application.

Example of MFA:

Banking Transactions: When you use an ATM to withdrawal money, you need to have two items to successfully complete the transaction: the bank card and PIN. This helps prevent someone who found your card on the ground from going to an ATM and withdrawing all the money in the associated account because they still wouldn’t know your PIN. 

These applications will be the first to take advantage of the new features:

  • Office 365 (March 3)
  • Oracle ERP (March 31)
  • Citrix (April 14)
  • Global Protect (April 14)

Stay tuned for more information on these exciting changes, their impact on your daily work, and how to use these new features.

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