LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--81 percent of data breaches last year involved weak, default or stolen passwords,1 and phishing attacks have grown 65 percent year-on-year.2 Protecting online privacy, identity and all types of data is more important than ever – requiring more robust security practices. Lenovo and Intel today announced the first PC-ready built-in authentication measures to support users’ online browsing, working and shopping. Using Intel Online Connect on 7th and 8th Gen Intel Core processors, Lenovo’s latest PCs including the Yoga™ 920, ThinkPad™ X1 Tablet (2nd generation), ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th generation) and IdeaPad™ 720S integrate FIDO-certified authenticators directly into the core of the PCs, bringing simpler and safer online authentication when logging into popular websites like PayPal, Google, Dropbox and Facebook.

Instead of depending on passwords as the sole credential for logging into websites, users now have a safer way to log in with the touch of a finger on the integrated fingerprint reader through Universal Authentication Framework (UAF), or the click of a real-time, on screen button through Universal 2nd Factor (U2F). With these integrated FIDO authenticators, websites use security keys that are protected and rooted deeply in the PC’s hardware, ultimately increasing user protection and reducing fraud.

UAF fingerprint authentication : With the touch of a finger on the encrypted fingerprint reader embedded on the PC, users can easily authenticate to their PayPal account.

: With the touch of a finger on the encrypted fingerprint reader embedded on the PC, users can easily authenticate to their PayPal account. U2F with built-in 2nd factor authentication: An additional security factor is incorporated into the authentication process after users log in to a website using their standard user ID and password access. Instead of using a separate security key or SMS code, 2nd factor authentication is built into the PC to identify the user and directly prompts the user to click a button to log into websites like Google, Facebook, Dropbox and many more here

Intel Online Connect and Intel Software Guard Extensions (Intel SGX) are built into 7th and 8th Gen Intel Core processors – offering user authentication information protection with the implementation of the integrated fingerprint reader to incorporate measures designed for a secure user experience.

Merchants also benefit from this integration. With authenticators built directly into PCs, merchants can extend enhanced security measures to millions of users who routinely use their computer to access social media, banking information and online shopping.

The reality of the connected online world today means consumers need security that’s simple and easy to use. This integrated solution aims to do just that by combining the latest technologies and hardware to reduce reliance on passwords, helping to shield against phishing or malware attacks, and protect users’ most vulnerable personal data with hardware-level encryption. All of that means users can spend more valuable time online and less time worrying about the security.

Availability

Intel Online Connect can be downloaded from the web and will be made available via Lenovo System Update and Lenovo App Explorer on all Lenovo laptops with 7th and 8th Gen Intel Core processors that have enabled Intel SGX.3

List of compatible Lenovo systems include Yoga 920, IdeaPad 720S, ThinkPad X1 Tablet (2nd generation), ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th generation), ThinkPad Yoga 370, ThinkPad T570, ThinkPad P51s, ThinkPad T470s, ThinkPad X270 and ThinkPad X270s.

Quotes

“Going online has become an indispensable part of our daily lives in the always-on, digital world. People need hassle-free, built-in security that helps to protect them when logging into websites for banking, shopping and social media,” said Johnson Jia, Senior Vice President of Lenovo’s PCs and Smart Devices Product Group. “Partnering with Intel to deliver FIDO-certified solutions, we’re addressing online security issues head-on by providing a simpler, safer online authentication experience and reducing our dependency on passwords alone.”

“Intel continues to drive innovation that simplifies and secures the computing experience,” said Chris Walker, Vice President, Client Computing Group and General Manager, Mobility Client Platform. “We are excited about the close collaboration between Intel and Lenovo using hardware-based technology on 7th and 8th Generation Intel Core processors to bring secure authentication experiences to the PC.”

“I am thrilled to see the realization of this partnership between FIDO Alliance board members Intel and Lenovo, which resulted in the PC industry’s first FIDO-enabled embedded fingerprint and now includes support for all FIDO protocols on several new leading PC models,” said Brett McDowell, executive director of the FIDO Alliance. “Today’s news reinforces FIDO authentication as the de facto standard technology to move the world beyond passwords, across all internet-connected devices: PCs, mobile, and IoT.”

About Lenovo

Lenovo (SEHK:0992) (Pink Sheets:LNVGY) is a US$43 billion global Fortune 500 company and a leader in providing innovative consumer, commercial, and data center technology. Our portfolio of high-quality, secure products and services covers PCs (including the legendary Think and multimode Yoga brands), workstations, servers, storage, networking, software (including ThinkSystem and ThinkAgile solutions), smart TVs and a family of mobile products like smartphones (including the Motorola brand), tablets and apps. Join us on LinkedIn, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@Lenovo) or visit us at http://www.lenovo.com/.

1 Verizon 2017 Data Breach Report

2 Anti-Phishing Working Group, comparing 2016 vs 2015

3 The UAF solution can be supported in all Lenovo laptops with 7th and 8th Gen Intel Core processors that have integrated Synaptics touch sensors enabled with Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX). The U2F solution is supported by Lenovo laptops with 7th and 8th Gen Intel Core processors that have enabled Intel SGX. The list of compatible PCs will expand as additional desktops and workstations get tested and added later.

LENOVO, YOGA, IDEAPAD and THINKPAD are trademarks of Lenovo. INTEL and CORE are trademarks of Intel Corporation. PAYPAL is a trademark of PayPal, Inc. DROPBOX is a trademark of Dropbox, Inc. FACEBOOK is a trademark of Facebook, Inc. GOOGLE is a trademark of Google Inc. FIDO is a trademark of FIDO Alliance, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2017, Lenovo Group Limited.