WATERLOO, ON and PALO ALTO, CA – BlackBerry has joined the FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) Alliance and board of directors in an effort to offer the industry consortium members a universal authentication solution for mobile platform and device users.
FIDO members commit to share technology and collaborate to deliver open specifications for universal strong authentication that enables FIDO-compliant authentication methods to be interoperable, more secure and private, and easier to use. BlackBerry is among the first mobile platform and mobile device suppliers to engage with the FIDO Alliance to equip customers with easy-to-use strong authentication, allowing them to easily move from site to site securely without having to enter identifying information multiple times.
"BlackBerry is deeply committed to remaining the Gold Standard in mobile security while providing a model for others to adopt and follow," said Brian McBride, technical director for Identity at BlackBerry, in the announcement. "Offering safe, reliable access for our customers across the globe is inherent to everything BlackBerry does as an organization. We are both excited and proud to join the FIDO Alliance to help extend mobile security best practices and standards to the global community as the alliance strives to achieve universal secure authentication."
Formed in July 2012, the FIDO Alliance seeks to address the lack of interoperability among authentication technologies, and remedy the problems users face with creating and remembering multiple usernames and passwords. The Alliance aims to change the nature of authentication by developing standards-based specifications that define an open, scalable, interoperable set of mechanisms that supplant reliance on passwords to easily and securely authenticate users of online services.
