Nexus launches Argus Authentication Server

The web is the primary medium for application and collaboration services for employees, partners and customers. Web services must properly authenticate users to prevent data loss or corruption and to protect user privacy. The type of service and the risk of illegal use, data leakage or corruption decide which type of authentication is needed. The authentication procedure must be extremely simple; otherwise users will be held up too long from the intended activity and might be put off from using the service.

Nexus has launched Nexus Argus Authentication Server matching these needs. The product name "Argus" refers to the mythological figure with one hundred eyes engaged by a goddess to guard a holy present. Analogously, Nexus Argus is the watcher of organisations' valuable information accessible over the web. The new product offers a versatile, flexible and cost-efficient single sign-on access solution for web applications. - We can see clear indications of a strong demand both in Sweden and internationally for a solution like this. Resurs Bank has already signed a contract to use Nexus Argus and we have also received positive feedback from analysts and partners about our product plans. With introducing Argus Authentication Server, Nexus makes a strategic step of extending its security portfolio - traditionally positioned around supporting security infrastructure - towards security enforcement applications. In the future we intend to cover more and more security enforcement functions with innovative Nexus technologies, says Tamás Horváth, Product Manager at Technology Nexus AB. Nexus Argus combines best-of-breed security features with novel technologies for easy deployment and usage of the new product: - Multiple credential types accepted: domain password, one-time-password (OTP), corporate card, national eID, mobile phone, PKI certificate, etc. - Single sign-on for user convenience: After presenting his or her credential, the user can move around to visit any number of web services without needing to log on again. - Single sign-off: The user needs to log out only once and Argus logs him or her out from all connected applications and sessions. If the user remains inactive for some time, he or she will be logged out too. - Policy-based assurance level: Different services may require different levels of assurance of the electronic identity of the user. Argus enforces the right assurance level: while moving to another application, the user may be requested to present a stronger credential, e.g. an eID in favour of the formerly presented password. - Validation against PKI and LDAP systems: Credential validation is performed on basis of international standards. Argus is thus fully compatible with other Nexus products and with standard compliant third party products too. - Identity federation made simple: By means of ID mapping, Argus enables the use of one single ID across all systems and thereby provides federation of identities by a simple means. - Quick and easy integration via SAML standard: With the use of the slim standard SAML interface (Security Assertion Markup Language), integration with a web application may be achieved as simply as installing an open-source library. - Flexible: The architecture of Argus is pluggable. Adding new credential types, integrating with new identity stores, introducing new identity mapping rules is possible with little effort.