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Authy (YC W12) launches two-factor auth as a service

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Re: Authy (YC W12) launches two-factor auth as a service

#21
post #19

I don't want another token application. I already have FOUR two-factor-auth apps on my phone, each with multiple tokens: Google RSA Blizzard SWTOR If I can add all the above tokens into your app, I would consider using it. Otherwise... well, good luck with that.

I hear you. I designed authy so that 1 token would work accross sites for this same reason.

Unfortunately its not technically possible for us to allow you to install RSA, Google in our App, as that would mean we would need access to their private seed, which they don't allow.

Re: Authy (YC W12) launches two-factor auth as a service

#26
post #19

I don't want another token application. I already have FOUR two-factor-auth apps on my phone, each with multiple tokens: Google RSA Blizzard SWTOR If I can add all the above tokens into your app, I would consider using it. Otherwise... well, good luck with that.

I hear you. I designed authy so that 1 token would work accross sites for this same reason. Unfortunately its not technically possible for us to allow you to install RSA, Google in our App, as that would mean we would need access to their private seed, which they don't allow.

Is it really not possible?

Here is an example of a third party Blizzard app: http://code.google.com/p/winauth/

Re: Authy (YC W12) launches two-factor auth as a service

#27

I want interaction-free TFA in my phone. I want to be able to walk up to a computer, put in my username and maybe a PIN, and subsequently have every website log me in because the browser knows my phone is on the same LAN as the browser or is in NFC or Bluetooth range. But I would especially want this if the TFA is running on a separate system from the main CPU in my smartphone, only sharing radio/networking hardware…

This is a horrifying prospect. One that you would trust a LAN, two that you would want any external device to QUERY the credentials and access the creds of another device.

Horrifying. There are so many better ways of providing zero interaction auth that is secure: BrowserID, NFC (smartphones that can thus do asymmetric encryption), the QR experiment Google did.

Even if you just tweaked your idea to do something along the lines of what Google did... You go to a browser, type gmail.com, enter your email address. They push an event via GCM and your phone asks if you trust the computer that just asked for auth. You click "YES". Similar flow, but no where near as horrifying.

Re: Authy (YC W12) launches two-factor auth as a service

#28
post #19

I don't want another token application. I already have FOUR two-factor-auth apps on my phone, each with multiple tokens: Google RSA Blizzard SWTOR If I can add all the above tokens into your app, I would consider using it. Otherwise... well, good luck with that.

I hear you. I designed authy so that 1 token would work accross sites for this same reason. Unfortunately its not technically possible for us to allow you to install RSA, Google in our App, as that would mean we would need access to their private seed, which they don't allow.

Are you sure? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Authenticator

Re: Authy (YC W12) launches two-factor auth as a service

#29
post #25

or you can just implement a google authenticator & HOTP for your own site. it's open source and a billion libraries exist

in the other hand, Authy has few libraries (opensource too), one nice, simple and easy to use app (0 config), and 1 token for all apps.

Re: Authy (YC W12) launches two-factor auth as a service

#30
post #6
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're able to build the solution using Twilio (or anything else), then I'm pretty sure Authy isn't for you. I think it's clear that their eventual product is going to be a simple, drop-in that enables two-factor on your mom's knitting forum.

Unless my mom's knitting forum also is an online trading platform, why do they need two factor auth? And how likely is it that their software of choice doesn't have a Twilio plugin?

Because your mom probably uses the same password on her knitting forum as she does for her bank website or email or ...
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