Uniken: Redefining Identity Verification
In today’s world, most identity verification and access management systems conform to a probabilistic measure of accuracy. Think about the ways in which identity is verified using things like security questions, two-factor authentication, and location tracking when signing into a device, to name a few. The problem is that these approaches are not certain enough. In other words, it’s not enough to be 88% or 92% or 76% certain that a client is who they say they are. Probability only goes so far. By recognizing the gaps in this approach, Uniken, an identity and security management solution provider, has come to design a system where security moves beyond probability. Instead, security becomes deterministic. This means that client identity is verified with certainty, making more secure channels between clients and enterprises. Uniken not only features a deterministic and dynamic mode of identity verification through REL-ID, their all-in-one, full stack verification platform, but they also ensure that their solution is the most fluid and holistic it can be. This is what ultimately makes Uniken one of the most innovative identity and access management solution providers to date. As Bimal Gandhi, CEO of Uniken, says, “Uniken provides an integrated solution for identity verification and security. Most of our clients that we see have 5 or 6 solutions they’re implementing. Meanwhile, REL-ID can provide all of it in one. It’s flexible, affordable, and all-encompassing.” The dynamism that Uniken’s full stack solution provides for companies in client-facing markets can’t be overstated. “The 5 or 6 solutions for security most implement today, is akin to building a dam 100 years ago. Block the river temporarily, then put a bunch of bricks down and layer bricks on top of bricks. And there's your dam. Well, the problem is, you know, mortar erodes away so you get little pin holes. Bricks fall out, and then the dam bursts, right? We do look at the problem and say hey, let's not build an old-fashioned dam. Let's create a new dam, which is one piece altogether reinforced with multiple layers of rebar. That really works and it's one solution.”
Most identity and access management service providers will have to keep catching up as Uniken continues to expand, diversify, and tackle big issues in the world of security and identity verification. As a leader in identity verification and security, there are more than a few factors that make Uniken stand out. By delivering a systematic approach to identity verification and security, one that focuses on safety, simplicity, and consistency, Uniken ensures that a bottom-up solution for the consumer makes security across all channels more reliable and resilient. Secondly, getting rid of the cumbersome elements of security management is core to Uniken’s advanced solution. Instead of trying to figure out what you put down as the answer for the question ‘what's your favorite type of ice cream?’, the customer can get back to what’s really important: verifying their identity in a quick and seamless manner. Uniken implements natural and real-time interactions through device biometrics to accurately perceive and verify identity. And lastly, what makes Uniken the ever-expanding and evolving company it is today is it’s focus on emerging markets. Uniken got its start from emerging markets and this, as Gandhi points out, is what helps Uniken go beyond the US market. “There's the concept of strong customer authentication in the developed world. But what we wanted to do was build for a product in emerging markets too. We said let's build a platform that's global in nature that meets the demands of the global marketplace.” This means that Uniken’s REL-ID, which is SOC2 certified, is able to meet the demands of global compliance requirements. And, Uniken is SOC2 certified. Factors like the different velocity levels of cyber attacks between more developed and less developed countries are accounted for. This also means that price points are also accounted for while still providing the same commitment to service. And, most importantly, it means that the most vulnerable of people are guaranteed protection and seamless identity verification. “We're in the identity business, but identity is about protecting somebody. It's about protecting their identity, protecting their data, protecting their money. And for our clients, it's about making sure they don't encounter fraud,” Gandhi says.
All of this makes Uniken stand out, but REL-ID, Uniken’s in-house, all-in-one security solution, is what really puts them above and beyond the rest of their competitors. On Uniken’s website, REL-ID is described as an “authentication and security platform that safeguards the entire identity chain, including devices, applications, and networks.” Gandhi touches on this further by emphasizing the different capabilities REL-ID provides, including an endpoint threat detection that does full root jailbreak and identifies malware, both signature based and polymorphic. REL-ID also does device, app, and biometric identity creation in both private and public keys. On top of that, REL-ID provides an enhanced cryptographic digital signing capability. And most significantly, identity verification is first and foremost which includes things like onboarding a user from scratch, scanning countless government documents without asking the user the document or country type, pulling all the necessary data out, conducting a liveness check which is beta-level 2 certified (which is the gold standard) and all of it at an automatic rate for the user. All of this efficiently legitimizes the user and feeds this information back to client-facing organizations that can now trust the user’s identity faster and with greater assurance. As well, this process begins with the understanding that REL-ID is an SDK so it goes to the user’s mobile app. There’s no third-party app involved. Instead, Uniken offers a very flexible deployment model, including options for deployment on-prem, in a customized cloud environment, or as a SaaS solution.
To demonstrate the kind of dynamic, efficient, and lid-tight security REL-ID ensures, Gandhi illustrates an important example of how REL-ID can be used in real-time: Say for instance a $50,000 transaction had to be approved. In the past, this would take a considerable amount of time to be able to verify the client and ensure his/her money is transferred. With REL-ID, the process becomes seconds long. Gandhi explains: “I don't even have to call you. I'm just going to shoot you an email that says, ‘I want to move $50,000 to my son for his tuition fees. Please make it happen. Here's the details.’ My banker gets it and works to utilize REL-ID. They process my request through REL-ID’s system. It sends a message to my phone that says, ‘You have a message from so-and-so.’ I click it, it opens the app, it does all the security features and says, “So-and-so just want to make sure you want to transfer $50,000 from this account to this account for my son’s tuition. Do we have your permission?’ I click yes. Terms and conditions pop up that I have to read and agree to. I digitally sign that cryptographically and, because it’s a significant transaction, it says, ‘Please, let's take a selfie.’ It's not a selfie. It's a video file. I hold the phone up, it clicks, verifies straight through processing. It took about 12 seconds. And I could do it anytime, anywhere.” The client is verified using several security capabilities, and in a record amount of time. What’s more, REL-ID is made up of a series of at-rest API’s, meaning the app is protecting and verifying client data at every transaction.
Gandhi sees Uniken expanding into every verticle in the near future. “We're growing in every area in every region of the world. I think the most exciting thing for us is we see an opportunity to really innovate with one of our partners in the payment space,” Gandhi says. Uniken’s commitment to innovation is further driven by the fact that its REL-ID solution is integrated into product layer of several major banking firm’s platfroms. In fact, this is happening in other enterprises as well, including retail. The sky’s the limit for Uniken, and as it continues to be one the most innovative identity and security management solution service providers out there, there’s no doubt that its technology and the technology’s capabilities will further transform identity verification at every level of business.