HID announced a new integration with Microsoft Entra ID to enable employees to use their existing physical access cards as a multi-factor authentication (MFA) method to access resources such as Entra ID and Microsoft 365. According to the announcement, this enables organizations to take the next step on their journey to passwordless by simplifying MFA deployment and enabling faster end-user adoption for Entra ID users. The integration expands options for organizations to tailor their MFA journey while meeting Microsoft’s mandatory MFA requirements and accelerating the path to phishing- resistant passwordless authentication.

“Deploying MFA is one of the most important steps to securing user identities, and the purpose of Microsoft Entra ID External Authentication Method (EAM) is to extend the purpose of Entra ID’s functionality by enabling organizations to use the third-party MFA solution of their choosing to establish quick, simple, and secure MFA,” said Eleanor Falla, senior product manager, Microsoft Security. “HID’s integration offers flexibility through its many authenticator choices and offers the convenience of choosing from existing physical cards to access both facilities and digital resources as an MFA factor.”

A Microsoft Research study showed that MFA reduced the risk of security compromise by more than 99.2 percent. HID brings MFA deployment to Entra ID users through its HID Authentication Service powered by the HID Authentication Platform. The secure cloud platform enables organizations to meet Microsoft’s mandatory MFA requirements, whether they are in the early phase of their passwordless journey or they are ready to make the shift to a completely phishing-resistant, passwordless authentication path, the announcement states. Specifically developed for highly regulated industries where high assurance is crucial, the platform simplifies identity establishment, creation, management and use, and employs cryptography so data is secure.

“HID’s longstanding partnership with Microsoft has delivered increasingly valuable MFA innovations as we collaborate on driving a passwordless future,” said HID's Sean Dyon, Director of Strategic Alliances at HID. “Our solutions meet enterprises wherever they are on what I call the ‘crawl, walk, run’ path to completely phishing-resistant passwordless authentication. We recognize the vital importance of effective change management and optimizing the user experience at every point in this journey through extensive MFA options that fit a broad range of organizational needs.”