Equifax's identity authentication solution to be offered with Microsoft Passport

[September 26th 2000]

Equifax Secure has introduced a new standard of online identity fraud protection available through the Microsoft Passport service. The program will be available to retailers participating in Equifax's consumer identity authentication technology, PayNet Secure, which will use the Microsoft Passport single sign-in solution. With the combined services, e-retailers will be able to verify the identity of consumers in real time, reducing the risk of fraudulent transactions and boosting customer confidence in the safety and security of the transaction.

Under terms of the agreement, Equifax Secure will integrate Passport's single sign-in service for its online identity authentication and payment solution, PayNet Secure. The combined Equifax and Microsoft Passport solution should lower the risk of fraudulent transactions for retailers with online transactions. Retailers can route purchasers through the PayNet Secure service during the purchase flow. Once a consumer has signed into PayNet Secure using the Passport Single Sign- in service, he/she can verify their identity thus increasing the integrity of the transaction.

"This agreement represents a significant milestone for Equifax as well as online merchants," said Rich Crutchfield, executive vice president and group executive for Equifax Secure. "Through this agreement, Microsoft has demonstrated its ongoing commitment to work with the best available technology providers to ensure privacy and security while eliminating the risk of fraud in online transactions."

With an estimated 100 million registered Microsoft Passport consumers, Web retailers will now gain access to an installed base of customers to attract and retain while controlling operational costs through outsourcing back-end payment and fraud prevention services.

Here's how PayNet Secure works:

Step 1: The consumer completes and submits the enrolment form providing the requested information. The information is encrypted and transmitted electronically to Equifax, with the privacy of the consumer protected every step of the way. Once the information reaches Equifax, the authentication engine compares and analyses multiple elements in the furnished information against consumer data from Equifax and other consumer and business information sources.

Step 2: The authentication engine then displays a multiple-choice questionnaire compiled from information sources listed above.

Step 3: The consumer answers the questions and hits "submit." If the answers are verified, then the consumer is instantly authenticated. If the consumer's identity cannot be authenticated, then he/she will be instructed to complete the process manually. The authenticated individual is issued a Passport log-in ID and password that is re-usable at any Microsoft Passport or PayNet Secure retail site from any computer anywhere, anytime.

Links
Equifax Secure		http://www.equifaxsecure.com