SMS PASSCODE version 8 introduces a range of new features and product enhancements that IT and security professionals will benefit from when securing their infrastructure and cloud access against modern cyber threats.

The platform’s transmission infrastructure has been redesigned for greater flexibility, while maintaining its unmatched level of security. The policy-based infrastructure allows for immediate response, solid reliability and easy maintenance, even in large enterprise and hosting environments.

Highlights include:

Advanced Protection for Remote Desktop Web Access
on Windows Server 2012 R2
SMS PASSCODE version 8 enhances the existing protection of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS), making it possible to add multi-factor authentication (MFA) directly on the Remote Desktop Web Access Server (RD Web Access) on Windows Server 2012 R2. SMS PASSCODE’s unique approach to securing RD Web Access gives customers advanced protection against intruders through a highly secure challenge- and session-based authentication approach.

Dispatch Plugin Modules
Version 8 extends the platform infrastructure and introduces “dispatch plugin modules” – modules that make it easy to choose external messaging providers for delivery of OTP messages and notifications. This means, you can now sent messages in any way that you prefer, according to your specific needs.

Out-of-the-box, version 8 supports a comprehensive list of messaging providers. Additionally, you can extend with your own plugin modules, if you have very special needs – the possibilities for OTP delivery are endless.

Visit our Integrations page to learn more about available plugins and other 3rd party services that you can use together with SMS PASSCODE.

Adaptive Dispatch Policies
Adaptive Dispatch Policies allow you to configure both messaging failover and scaling in a very flexible way. As previously, you can have failover and adaptive selection between transmissions using on-premise modems and email. With version 8 you can now configure failover, scaling and adaptive selection between these by using any number of dispatch plugin modules, e.g. between any number of external message providers or in combination with on-premise modems. Once policies have been created, SMS PASSCODE will automatically select the primary OTP delivery mechanism and preferred failover methods based on the context of the user, for example the geographical location.

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and enterprise customers will greatly benefit from this flexibility since they can now configure different Dispatch Policies for individual users and thereby better serve the individual needs and requirements of a large user base.

Support for AD FS 3.0 Protection
By popular demand, SMS PASSCODE version 8 extends the AD FS Protection to include support for AD FS 3.0.

AD FS 3.0 is the latest version of Microsoft single sign-on service for Active Directory supporting a wide range of systems and applications across organizational boundaries and in the cloud. With AD FS 3.0, organizations can provide their users with a web based, single sign-on experience when remote accessing internally hosted websites or services.

AD FS 3.0 allows you to control policies to potentially require multi-factor authentication on a per application basis which helps manage risk for the organization.

AD FS 3.0 also provides a rich level of authorization that controls who has access to what applications. This can be based on user attributes (UPN, email, security group membership, authentication strength, etc.), device attributes (whether the device is workplace joined) or request attributes (network location, IP address, or user agent).

End-to-end support for LDAP directories
With version 8, SMS PASSCODE has broadened the support from Active Directory to LDAP directories in general. Users can now be imported from different types of LDAP directories, e.g. OpenLDAP or AD LDS. Moreover, users can be imported either by selection of a specific user group in the LDAP directory, or using an LDAP filter. At the same time, the SMS PASSCODE RADIUS protection component has been extended to allow authentication of such users imported from any LDAP directory.

This opens more opportunities for organizations looking to secure custom applications, for example web portals, where the users are stored in an LDAP directory, and the authentication is done via RADIUS.

Enhanced RADIUS Protection with Multi-CRP Support
The SMS PASSCODE RADIUS protection component has further been enhanced, so that it is now possible to customize all SMS PASSCODE RADIUS settings individually per Connection Request Policy (CRP) of the RADIUS server. This allows customers to manage multiple types of RADIUS clients on the same server, which can be a major benefit for organizations looking to take advantage of advanced capabilities in the different RADIUS clients they manage (i.e. setting up Authorization on Citrix and Cisco on the same server).

Powerful Integrations to Popular Third Party Providers
Get even more value from your SMS PASSCODE solution with these powerful integrations. With the new integration to XURA, SMS PASSCODE now supports real-time, session based multi-factor authentication over IP with a dedicated mobile app called TrustEgo. This highly secure app (TÜV+BSI certified) and dispatch service – delivered by XURA – provides great new possibilities for customers looking for an IP based OTP delivery method as an alternative to or compliment for SMS delivery.

Added Functionality for Customization of the Self-service Website
The SMS PASSCODE Self-service Website has been given a new, modern, responsive design, which works equally well on screens with small and big resolutions. This means, that end-users can make use of the Self-service Website directly from their smartphone, e.g. when they receive an SMS PASSCODE Self-service welcome notification with a link to the Self-service Website.

The Self-service Website permissions on the User Group Policies have been enhanced. Every setting in the Self-service Website can now be configured to one of the 3 states of “Hidden”, “Read-only” or “Editable”, thereby making the Self-service Website more customizable than ever before, to meet your specific needs.

Windows Logon Protection: Windows 10 Support
The SMS PASSCODE Windows Logon Protection component now also supports Windows 10 clients.