CRYPTOCard  authentication technology developer for heterogeneous environments, has signed a deal with YHGfL Foundation (Yorkshire & Humber Grid for Learning) to provide two-factor authentication tokens to more than 500 people.

YHGfL connects both teachers and pupils in more than 2000 schools in the Yorkshire and Humber region. This deal means that users can securely tap into the grid’s resources without having to rely on just usernames and passwords for authentication – a weak method of security that can easily be cracked.

“We’re a not-for-profit organization so we have to keep the costs down, but we still have to provide schools with best-of-breed technology,” says Andrew Yoward, IT consultant for YHGfL. “We found CRYPTOCard does exactly what we need it to for half the cost of the competitors,” Yoward continued. “It protects everything – the network infrastructure (routers, switches, firewalls), and the services infrastructure (remote access servers, etc.)”

The YHGfL network, which runs on a Linux environment to help the not-for-profit organization keep costs down, opted for CRYPTOCard’s KT-1 two-factor authentication keychain token solution because it was cheaper than other products and could run on open source software.

“One of the things we excel in is putting security on top of alternative environments to Windows,” says Jason Hart, CEO of CRYPTOCard Europe. “The learning grid is a key tool for teachers and an excellent way for schools to procure equipment, but without security that whole network of information and private data is open to abuse.”

A recent report from analyst house Butler Group noted that organizations are fast realizing that IT security and strong authentication are essential for business.

“The growing impact of regulatory compliance requirements means that the market for solutions such as CRYPTOCard’s strong authentication solution that can demonstrate ease-of-use, value-to-business, and provable ROI, will grow significantly,” noted Andrew Kellett, Senior Research Analyst, Butler Group.