Businesses of all sizes have come to depend on web-based software for a wide range of functions. It's even possible that you could run an entire company using only online applications, with no locally installed software - from email to sales to accounting. According to a recent IDC study, the number of small businesses adopting Software as a Service (SaaS) in 2009 will increase, even in this economic environment, because of the cost savings.
However, more new applications for employees to log into means more new user IDs and passwords for them to keep track of. Using the same login for multiple applications is not only a security risk, it's not practical since most applications have different requirements for length of password, letter/number combinations, how often it must be changed, etc.
myOneLogin from TriCipher offers an alternative to the password cheat sheet stuck in a drawer, or worse, pinned to the cubicle wall.
Similar to OpenID, it gives users the ability to log in once and then access multiple online applications. It works with Google, Salesforce.com, WebEx and quite a few others. See the full list of supported applications here. If you don't see the application you need, they can add it for you, and can also support internal company web applications.
The company suggests that a single, secure login can also reduce the risk of employees falling prey to phishing scams - if they don't know a user name or password, then they can't give it away.
I think that's true, until hackers catch up and the new phishing emails come out asking for your single user ID and password, instead of for a specific site like banking or email. However, it can certainly be useful for IT administrators to control an employee's access to different applications and be able to quickly cut off that access with one user ID.
For instance, if an employee is fired or quits there is often a checklist of items that have to be changed immediately.
If your employees use multiple online applications, this tool might be worth checking out. TriCipher offers a 30 day free trial, and then the monthly fee is $3 per user per month.
Ramon Ray is the editor & technology evangelist for Smallbiztechnology.com
