Microsoft and HID partner to enable physical access cards for multi-factor authentication

Microsoft and HID, a leading identity solutions company, have announced a new partnership to simplify multi-factor authentication for enterprise employees. As part of this partnership, HID has announced a new integration with Microsoft Entra ID, which will allow employees to use their existing HID physical access cards as a multi-factor authentication method to access Entra ID and Microsoft 365 apps.

Over the past few years, multi-factor authentication (MFA) has become an essential authentication standard. However, this new standard often requires users to have a company phone or install MFA authentication apps on their personal phones. With the new HID integration with Entra ID, users can simply use their physical access cards to access applications instead of relying on an MFA app or SMS. This new integration from Microsoft and HID will simplify MFA deployment and accelerate the transition to phishing-resistant, passwordless authentication for enterprises.

Eleanor Falla, Senior Product Manager for Microsoft Security, stated:

"Deploying MFA is one of the most important steps to securing user identities, and the purpose of Microsoft Entra ID External Authentication Method (EAM) is to extend the functionality of Entra ID by enabling organizations to use the third-party MFA solution of their choosing to establish quick, simple, and secure MFA. HID's integration offers flexibility through its many authenticator choices and offers the convenience of choosing from existing physical cards to access both facilities and digital resources as an MFA factor."

Sean Dyon, Director of Strategic Alliances at HID, added:

"HID's longstanding partnership with Microsoft has delivered increasingly valuable MFA innovations as we collaborate on driving a passwordless future. Our solutions meet enterprises wherever they are on what I call the 'crawl, walk, run' path to completely phishing-resistant, passwordless authentication. We recognize the vital importance of effective change management and optimizing the user experience at every point in this journey through extensive MFA options that fit a broad range of organizational needs."

You can take advantage of the HID Entra ID External Authentication Method (EAM) integration via the HID Authentication Platform on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. By streamlining MFA and embracing passwordless solutions, organizations can enhance security while minimizing friction for employees.