IBM Research has has a solution to the online identity problem: Identity Mixer, a zero knowledge identity and access management system that only gives up the bare minimum information to grant access. The cryptographic code acts as an agent knowing a consumers secrets, while revealing as little as possible to the relying parties.

Tablets and handsets have become the go to devices for employee use, replacing desktop and laptop computers. Using the mobile device as an identity token is the dream for enterprises that may soon be realized. As more devices deploy biometrics, use near field communication and Bluetooth low energy, securing devices and using them as tokens is becoming a reality. Organizations are also working on standards that will make the ubiquitous mobile the token everyone owns.

Using geo-location from a mobile device to make sure that an individual is in the same location of a payment or authentication request is one of the core tenants of an adaptive authentication system and FinSphere is now bringing this to payments world.

There is a dichotomy between the authentication practices of an employee versus those of the consumer or home user. An employee is influenced by a paycheck and the corporate IT department and as long as they’re being paid, the IT department specifies and directs what type of authentication strength the employee is required to use.

There is a change on the horizon in identity management? Modern identity presents many new challenges – particularly with user authentication. Two new technologies are here to stay to help address the new challenges – adaptive and mobile biometric authentication.

Mobile apps provide an opportunity for financial service providers to create a foundation for security and convenience. To capitalize on this, institutions need to ensure that they are making the most of the device capabilities by enabling strong, cryptographic, device-based authentication. The goal, however, is to hide the security complexity from the user to both increase compliance and eliminate authentication hassles.

The U.S. Department of Commerce last year announced three pilots in support of the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC). The $3 million in grants will be shared among the three recipients – MorphoTrust, Confyrm and GSMA – as they pilot solutions exploring mobile devices instead of passwords for online authentication, minimization of loss from ID theft and improved access to state services.