Moldova launches new ePassports with supplemental access control via Gemalto; SecureKey shows cloud auth platform and supports hackathon at APIcon; Lieberman study shows growing password fatigue and poor password management processes by enterprises; HID Global demos secure print authentication solutions at eNgage event.

Once thought to be overkill for all but the most sensitive data, mainstream enterprises and users are now picking up one-time password technology at a escalating pace. Faced with ever-growing threats from hackers and malware, hardware OTP tokens and keyfobs as well as software-based equivalents in the form of mobile apps, SMS or other out-of-band authentication techniques are commonplace.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has proposed new standards to protect the nation’s power grid and public utilities infrastructure from attack. Called the Physical Security Reliability Standard (CIP-014-1), it would secure key infrastructure from physical attacks and threats.

Weekly new briefs on Samsung committing to biometric technology; DigitalPersona announcing that New Look, a China fashion retailer, has selected a Point-of-Sale (POS) system enabled with fingerprint technology; The FIDO Alliance announced that Visa Inc. has joined; INSIDE Secure announced the launch of AT90SC28880RCFV2, a dual interface, secure microcontroller; and Fortinet, a network security provider, has invested in Centrify,

Toopher is touting invisible authentication but also may have one of the coolest tag lines for an identity company out there: “cool enough for James Bond and your mom can use it too.” Once an enterprise enables a site for Toopher, a user’s mobile device can serve as a second factor of authentication.

Employees and consumers aren’t always excited to use high-assurance security technologies. One of the biggest obstacles is usability and vendors are starting to recognize this, according to Gartner’s “Magic Quadrant for User Authentication” report. Author Ant Allan notes that bring-your-own-device demands are forcing vendors to change their products and services in response. Users want sign-in to be as easy as using any other app on consumer phones. A swipe here, a PIN there is about all most are willing to do.

Safenet, Gemalto, EMC, CA Technologies, Vasco Data Security and Technology Nexus are Gartner’s choices for top user authentication technology companies in its recent “Magic Quadrant for User Authentication” report. The report’s main conclusions: Perhaps 50 vendors of the 200 or so in the market have credible offerings, and the top six above account for most of the market by customer and end-user numbers.