Authenex offers a line of products based on hardware tokens called "A-Keys." These A-Keys form the basis of several product offerings, providing authentication, certificate storage, and the safeguarding of credential information.

- The A-Key 4000 token is a secure Flash drive that does not require software installation and can be used plug-n-play on any Windows 2000/XP machine. The token offers up to 1 GB of storage, and all files saved onto the drive are encrypted on the fly using AES encryption. The encryption functionality is built into the A-Key 4000 token's chip itself. It is not as an application on the drive, and cannot be altered or erased.

The drive has at least one level of password protection: the user level. However, two levels are available: the user and admin levels; allowing an administrator to have a greater degree of control over the drive.

No user data stored in the My Documents folder on the drive is visible unless the user correctly logs in to it. Additionally, if someone tries to log in and fails a configurable number of times, the token will automatically erase all user data and restore its factory default settings. This functionality is also built into the A-Key 4000 token's chip itself.

- My A-Key software enables automatic and secure Web login without leaving a record of username or password. My A-Key software resides on the A-Key token.

The vendor notes that My A-Key software leaves no footprint wherever it is used. It enables users to automatically login in to Web sites from any Windows 2000 or XP computer, without having to enter usernames and passwords.

My A-Key software can store and use up to hundreds of username/password combinations. Once stored, All My A-Key features are available for the associated Web sites. The software can also be configured to ignore up to about 200 Web sites.

- ACert bundles software with the A-Key, allowing for the storage of certificates on the token. The vendor states that ACert software-stored certificates can be used on any Windows 2000 or XP machine for any PKI-related activities, without having to install software or hardware. Up to 12 certificates can be stored.

ACert software prompts users each time an application requires access to certificates and/or key-pairs stored in the A-Key token, as well as when a certificate is deleted, imported, requested and installed. All stored certificates are encrypted, unencrypted on-the-fly for use, then encrypted again for storage on the A-Key token. Plus, public and private keys associated with each certificate are generated on the token itself, not the computer; nothing is sent to, stored, or left on the computer.

- The Authenex Strong Authentication System (ASAS) enables organizations to authenticate network and Web users and secure E-mail. It allows IT staff to control who does and does not access their digital assets.

The ASAS System is an authentication system that includes the ASAS Server and Database, clients and an A-Key token (upgradeable to the A-Key 4000). It provides organizations with remote, LAN and Web two-factor authentication.

The vendor states that ASAS System installation usually takes about half an hour. Using a Web browser, non- or low-tech people can perform most administrative tasks.

Both custom deployments (for larger companies) and pre-packaged versions of the ASAS system at set prices (for SMBs) are available; in both cases the vendor notes that the hardware and software are the same.

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