Phoenix TrustedCore PreBoot Authentication

Multi-factor authentication endpoint security via firmware

• Multi-factor strong authentication offering single sign-on from firmware to Windows
• Modular architecture for reduced time to market
• Lower development cost

TrustedCore™ Preboot Authentication (PBA) with HDD Password Lock is a new modular architecture from Phoenix for PC security that requires a user to authenticate identity before the computer boots up. TrustedCore PBA with HDD Password Lock also enables user authentication from core system software (also known as BIOS or firmware) to the operating system directly, through the BioTrust ID solution, to achieve Single Sign-On into Windows® O/S environment. The BioTrust™ ID Windows application integrates with the PBA Biometric Agent (which is an abstraction layer) through a proprietary API interface, to provide fingerprint enrollment and fingerprint authentication credentials.

TrustedCore PBA with HDD Password Lock manages and consolidates, through a USB bus, various types of pre-boot user authentication mechanisms and devices, such as ASCII password, SafeNet iKey 1000 smart token, and biometric fingerprint sensors. It is a safer form of security than relying on general passwords, because fingerprint and the SafeNet ikey1000 smart token are harder to spoof or copy than general passwords.

Phoenix is driving for biometric industry standard of Preboot Authentication through the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). Specification for the UEFI security sub-team is expected to finalize in 2H2007. For more information about UEFI please go to http://www.uefi.org/

Phoenix is systematically adding more authentication capability to the Preboot Authentication architecture.  Aside from the existing Preboot Authentication support for CMOS password and SafeNet i-Key 1000 smart token and fingerprint sensors, Phoenix will be adding smart card support and TPM support in the near future.

Fingerprint Sensor Drivers Available to Support TrustedCore Preboot Authentication: