Item: Symantec VIP
Rating: 8
Author: David Reese

Overall Satisfaction with Symantec VIP Access Manager

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

The entire organization uses Symantec VIP access manager to implement robust 2-factor authentication for purposes of VPN and extranet logins. It addresses both security holes in standard 1 factor VPN as well as accessibility holes in case of missing tokens or broken phones. It allows the help desk to manage the rest of the organization seamlessly

Pros and Cons

Pros

VIP access manager is great at setting up multiple tokens for the same user.
VIP access manager is great at managing multiple users simultaneously.
VIP access manager can be accessed from the web, the browser-based interface makes it easy to connect.

Cons

when setting a token to a phone call, the phone calls often take a minute + to call the user.
When Symantec's VIP app is removed or reinstalled on a phone, the credential ID will change, and that dictates a call to the helpdesk to allow the user access.
Temporary security codes while handy, must be set to expire immediately to stay secure.

Return on Investment

I am unable to provide hard numbers, but the Symantec VIP access go live was smooth, and we continue to renew.

Alternatives Considered

RSA Authentication Manager

VIP access manager is a whole lot more flexible than RSA: with the ability to attach to land lines or sms text messaging, it was definitely the right move.

Other Software Used

Citrix NetScaler Access Gateway, Applied Epic, GoToAssist, Adobe Acrobat DC, Microsoft Office 2016, ServiceNow, Skype for Business, XenMobile

Likelihood to Recommend

VIP Access Manager has great ease of us and allows for up to 5 separate concurrent devices per user and a backup temporary security code. It also allows you to see reports on logins and change credentials in minutes. With the browser based interface, there is no setup on the back end of any software that needs to be installed before a technician can work. Adding new users is as simple as pressing the "add new user" button, typing in a username and their credential [which can be a VIP credential, an SMS text number, or a call number] which means even if the user only has a house phone, they can still access 2 factor.

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