Whilst a number of vendors have developed software-based authentication token apps for the iPhone and iPad, this is one of the first times a secure NAC environment has been extended around the Apple flavour of portable phones and tablets, Infosecurity notes.
According to Safenet, the system forms part of its trusted authentication environment and centres on the firm's authentication manager, allowing users secure and auditable access to corporate resources on a mobile basis.
The firm says that, by integrating mobile device credential management into a unified authentication scheme, organisations can ensure that only authorised personal mobile devices have access to corporate networks and resources.
Laurence Pingree, a Gartner research director, said that the increased adoption of smartphones, tablets, and other consumer devices accessing corporate networks is a big security challenge.
"There is an enormous risk created by untrusted, and often unknown, devices accessing valuable corporate data. Restricting the use of these smartphones and tablets is not a realistic option given the strong consumerisation of mobile devices", he said.
"An appropriate method of managing this risk is through authentication capabilities that can further validate these devices for secure access", he added.
Over at Safenet, Pingree's comments were echoed by Andrew Young, the firm's vice president, who said that the security perimeter and devices that access the corporate environment have changed dramatically, forcing organisations to re-think access to networks.
This is especially true when it comes to mobile devices, he said, adding that the authentication manager system allows users to extend their security infrastructure to keep pace with the emergence of new endpoint devices - and so ensure their data remains protected.