About Bonnier – Multi-Channel Media Company
Established in 1804 as a small book store and publishing firm in Sweden, Bonnier is now a multi-channel media company with experience and knowledge of a full range of media in 175 companies across 20 countries. The company’s turnover in 2008 was over 30 billion SEK.
When the media company Bonnier considered replacing their existing physical token authentication system, it was important to find a solution that would be easier to manage and cut costs. Bonnier chose the Nordic Edge™ One Time Password Server which could be deployed in parallel with their existing solution very easily and efficiently. The objective for Bonnier is that all users transition to using Pledge as the primary method for logging in.
The Challenge
The employees at Bonnier have had the facilities to work remotely for quite some time, being able to access email and other corporate services without having to physically be at the office. Secure access has been provided by an SSL VPN solution with user authentication strengthened by physical tokens. The solution has worked well and provided a satisfactory level of security but the distribution and support of the security tokens has required a lot of administration resource and proved too costly. Bonnier looked for an alternative solution that would provide the same level of security while being simpler to manage and more cost effective. In addition, it was important that it would work in parallel with the existing technology to minimize any disruption while the new solution was being deployed.
The Solution
Bonnier chose the Nordic Edge™ One Time Password Server which could be deployed in parallel with their existing solution. One-time passwords can be generated on a mobile client or sent via SMS, email or chat. The password is verified and only then will the user be granted access. Bonnier has chosen to use two authentication methods: one-time passwords sent via SMS and one-time passwords generated using Pledge, client software installed in the mobile phone.
The Result
The Nordic Edge One Time Password Server has provided functions that allow Bonnier’s Help Desk staff to easily install clients and security keys, minimizing the administration required. In addition, users can use their mobile phone and avoid the inconvenience of carrying around a physical token.
During the transition period Bonnier were able to have three authentication methods available to all users, so they would be able to log in regardless of whether they used one of the new methods or not. The objective for Bonnier is that all users transition to using Pledge as the primary method for logging in, thereby saving money by reducing SMS traffic and hardware.
We are very happy with Nordic Edge and the new authentication solution. Replacing our physical tokens is something we should have done a long time ago and it is really great to find that the migration goes so smoothly”
Stefan Wibring, Manager IT-infrastructure at Bonnier.
