Identity and data theft is rampant. In an effort to address it, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) issued guidance to US financial institutions. The guidance recommends that financial institutions that operate online consumer operations put in place data security risk assessment and “two factor authentication,” which is generally interpreted as authentication in addition to standard passwords. The deadline is December 31, 2006.

The FFIEC’s guidance immediately raised authentication from a strictly technological to a business issue. Compliance officials and risk managers are now involved. And not only at financial institutions, but in others subject to federal regulation, such as health care.

In recognition of this changed landscape, Atlanta-based risk management consultant T3i has teamed with online authentication company Passfaces to educate T3i’s clients about the changing risk and regulatory environment and how Passfaces’s solution can help address it.

This relationship will provide T3i with additional resources to assist their customers in the selection and integration of appropriate monitoring and authentication tools. Passfaces products include Passfaces for Windows, Passfaces Web Access and Passfaces Financial.

Passfaces Certified Consultants is offered to those companies engaged in providing businesses with objective and independent security advice and guidance. The consultants receive in depth technical training and are continually updated on product strategy and enhancements. The goal of the program is to provide consulting firms with the depth of knowledge, professional objectivity, and skills required to effectively advise clients on Passfaces’ technology and products.

To qualify for the Passfaces Certified Consultant program, candidates must have at least three years of documented security consulting experience. They must be independent and not affiliated with any manufacturer or vendor of security equipment. Qualified candidates must successfully complete the required technical training provided by Passfaces.

“We are continually looking for technologies that our clients can adopt for both security and compliance reasons. The area of unique identifiers and strong authentication is not only a hot topic, but a big concern for most of our clients, many of whom are challenged with compliance and security requirements relating to Sarbanes-Oxley, Gramm-Leach-Bliley and HIPAA. Having a strong understanding of the Passfaces product line provides T3i customers additional tools in the continual management of security and compliance needs.” said Mark Reedy, T3i director of sales.

“The Passfaces partner program offers opportunities for resellers, OEMs, ASPs, system integrators and now certified consultants”, said Paul Barrett, CEO Passfaces. “The interest in these programs has been extremely positive which can be attributed to both the activity in the authentication space as well as the unique end-user friendly product we provide. T3i’s holistic approach to information risk management is a common sense approach for complying with regulatory requirements, industry standards and best practices. We are excited about their participation in this program and the knowledge they bring to this group of security experts”, he added.