[Information Technology] What is an RSA SecurID?

What is RSA SecurID ?

RSA SecurID or abbriviated to RSA SID is one of the products from RSA . It is a token that will generate a random key (known as a seed) in order to authenticate in to something. The seed is different in every token, and must be loaded into corresponding RSA server called ACE server. As you know, RSA is harder to be hacked caused it is using 128-bit-long-number.

Product Family:
1. Hardware Authenticators:



Figure 1. RSA SecurID SID 700

To access resources protected by the RSA SecurID system, users simply combine their secret Personal Identification Numbers (PIN’s) (something they alone know) with the token codes generated by their authenticators (something they have). The result is a unique, one-time-use passcode that is used to positively identify, or authenticate, the user. If the code is validated by the RSA SecurID system, the user is granted access to the protected resource. If it is not recognized, the user is denied access.

Figure 2. RSA SecurID SID 900

With RSA SecurID hardware authenticators, no interaction with the user desktop is required—that is, you don't have to install or maintain any software. Equally important, you are not required to program tokens. They are ready to use out of the box. In addition, RSA SecurID hardware authenticators are manufactured and sealed with an integral lifetime battery. No user maintenance or battery replacement is required. As a result, this authentication solution is as easy to deploy and administer as it is to use.

2. Sofware Authenticators:
The availability of RSA SecurID® two-factor authentication operating on a wide range of personal devices allows IT administrators to make strong authentication a convenient part of doing business. RSA SecurID software authenticators reduce the number of items a user has to manage for safe and secure access to corporate assets.

RSA SecurID software tokens offer:

• Strong two-factor authentication in a highly secure software implementation
• Convenience with merging of RSA SecurID technology onto a user’s personal device and eliminating the need to carry another item
• Support for a wide range of computing platforms and devices
• Flexibility for authentication models and policies, with support for up to ten software tokens on one device
  

RSA SecurID software tokens support the same algorithms as the industry-leading RSA SecurID hardware authenticators. Instead of being stored in an RSA SecurID hardware authenticator, the symmetric key (or "seed record") is safeguarded securely on the user’s desktop, laptop, PDA, handheld, or mobile phone. RSA SecurID symmetric keys may also be stored on smart card and USB devices and used in conjunction with the RSA SecurID software token on the user’s desktop.