Centrify leverages the PKI infrastructure provided by Apple and works with both common access cards and personal identity verification cards as well as with other cards that support the Apple TokenD interface such as the .NET smart card from digital security provider Gemalto. With this capability, government agencies and other organizations can use smart cards for interactive login from the Mac to all services in the organization whose access is controlled from Active Directory, not just the local computer.

“Centrify is committed to making it as easy to integrate and administer Macs with Active Directory as it is for Windows computers,” said David McNeely, director of product management for Centrify. “By supporting smart card login to Active Directory, Centrify helps government agencies, education institutions and commercial organizations further secure their environment by centrally enforcing smart card login policies for users of Mac systems.”

DirectControl effectively turns a UNIX, Linux or Mac system into an Active Directory client, enabling administrators to secure that system using the same authentication and group policy services currently deployed for their Windows systems. By adding smart card support to its Mac agent, Centrify enables customers to use Mac systems in high security environments complying with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 requiring secure and reliable identification of Federal employee and contractors using PIV cards.