Below is a list of commonly asked questions. If your question isn't answered here, please use the Contact Us page to request more information.
- What is Web Access Management (WAM)?
- What is Single Sign-On (SSO)?
- How is WAM different from Enterprise Single Sign-On (ESSO)?
- Why is WAM important?
- What are the maXecurity products?
- Are the maXecurity products right for my enterprise?
- Why are maXecurity products better than the competition?
- Who is P2 Security?
- What support is available?
- What services can P2 Security provide?
- How can I partner with P2 Security?
- How can I contact P2 Security?
What is Web Access Management?
Web Access Management is a web security technology that protects an enterprise's sensitive web resources and data from unauthorized use. Web access management systems perform this security function by validating a user's credentials (authentication), determining whether the validated user is entitled to requested resources (authorization), and keeping a record of all unauthorized access attempts and policy changes (auditing). Most Web Access Management solutions also provide for Single Sign-On (session management). To learn more about Web Access Management, please watch this video:
What is Single Sign-On (SSO)?
Single Sign-On is a process by which a user logs into any of the protected websites in an organization, and is instantly logged in to all of the remaining websites. This reduces Help Desk calls (for forgotten passwords) and improves the user's experience (by preventing password fatigue). For information on cost savings related to Single Sign-On, visit our ROI page. For more information on Single Sign-On and password fatigue, please visit our SSO page.
How is WAM different from Enterprise Single Sign-On (ESSO)?
ESSO is a technology that offers users the convenience of having to enter in a password once, and have these credentials automatically entered into each underlying resource. It differs from the maXecurity products in 2 fundamental ways:
1. ESSO only handles the storage and auto-login of user passwords. The maXecurity products handle authentication management (e.g. it works closely with password policy). The maXecurity products also perform policy-based authorization, generate audit reports, and improve web site performance due to its dedicated, highly-optimized hardware. So while the SSO feature is a great benefit for users, maXecurity's four-pronged approach (authentication, authorization, auditing, and session management) addresses the crucial web security components that ESSO products let slip through the cracks.
2. Most ESSO products attempt to synchronize passwords across systems. This leads to "dirty data" due to network issues, policy differences, etc. maXecurity products take a fundamentally different approach by embracing existing LDAP directories and establishing trust relationships between the various repositories.
Why is Web Access Management important?
Enterprises are increasingly making sensitive data available to employees and customers via web-based applications. While online access to personal data has provided unparalleled convenience for users, it has also made security technologies such as Web Access Management increasingly important in order to prevent unauthorized access to data.