Phone-Based Two-Factor Authentication Now Available for OpenID

JanRain and Positive Networks Combine Efforts to Offer Secure Strong Authentication for OpenID Users

May 12, 2008 – JanRain and Positive Networks have developed a phone-based, two-factor authentication solution specifically designed to support users of myOpenID. myOpenID, the most popular independent OpenID provider, is a free, fully featured, and secure solution for users who want their own personal OpenID identity. The new secure authentication offering, CallVerifID™, is available immediately to all myOpenID users and is based on Positive Networks’ PhoneFactor service. PhoneFactor is the leading phone-based authentication service and does not rely on text/SMS messages, tokens, certificates or the installation of hardware.

JanRain and Positive Networks have developed a phone-based, two-factor authentication solution specifically designed to support users of myOpenID. myOpenID, the most popular independent OpenID provider, is a free, fully featured, and secure solution for users who want their own personal OpenID identity. The new secure authentication offering, CallVerifID™, is available immediately to all myOpenID users and is based on Positive Networks’ PhoneFactor service. PhoneFactor is the leading phone-based authentication service and does not rely on text/SMS messages, tokens, certificates or the installation of hardware.

“As the adoption and usage of OpenID accelerates across thousands of websites and applications, it is becoming increasingly important to provide multi-factor authentication options, said Brian Kissel, CEO of JanRain. “Adding CallVerifID powered by PhoneFactor to the myOpenID service provides users with the best two-factor authentication solution available.”

“Adding strong authentication to OpenID must be simple, convenient and very secure if it is to work for most people. This rules out most traditional solutions like tokens, but is ideal for a phone-based solution like PhoneFactor, said Tim Sutton, CEO of Positive Networks. “We think that the marriage of OpenID and PhoneFactor will be the first really scalable multifactor solution”.

About JanRain
JanRain is a leading provider of OpenID technology and solutions. Having contributed to the development of the OpenID specifications and written many of the open source libraries, test scripts and sample implementations, JanRain’s source libraries power the majority of today’s OpenID-enabled websites. JanRain manages myOpenID.com, the most popular independent OpenID provider for consumers and businesses. Based in Portland, OR, JanRain was a key contributor in establishing the OpenID Foundation and provides a full range of OpenID enablement and provisioning services.