Labs'-eye view: RSA Security's Keon Web Passport
By Jim Rapoza, eWEEK
RSA Security's Keon Web Passport is a nice new product, but, contrary to the company's claims, it does not represent a revolutionary development that will change how PKIs are used.
I spoke with RSA representatives about Keon Web Passport last week while eWeek Labs was conducting an eVal of public-key infrastructure systems. Web Passport is essentially a browser-based version of RSA's powerful Keon client. It will give mobile users access to manyâ€"but not allâ€"of the features that they expect from the full-featured client, with the most important being access to all their digital certificates.
This will be great for users who need, for example, to access secure information from a kiosk at a convention. However, the Windows-only browser plug-in doesn't exactly break new ground. For some time now, VeriSign has offered a similar tool called Personal Trust Agent that runs as an ActiveX control or a Netscape plug-in. It's not as powerful as Keon Web Passport, but it, too, allows for mobile access.
Realistically, most companies that are serious about PKI will use tokens or smart cards to provide users with roaming access to keys and certificates. RSA's Keon Web Passport is a welcome tool that will increase access to PKI resources. But as for changing the face of PKI, don't believe the hype.
East Coast Technical Director Jim Rapoza can be contacted at jim_rapoza@ziffdavis.com
