Bitwarden partner programme a hit with MSPs

Bitwarden, the password manager and cybersecurity software service, has been a trusted solution for businesses seeking secure open-source password and passkey management since its inception in 2016. Recently, managed service provider (MSP), Convergence Networks, reported a 238% increase in internal password management adoption by employees since switching to Bitwarden. The MSP joined the Bitwarden partner program, and has found it’s speeded up client onboarding and can now offer secure access via single sign-on (SSO) to all its clients.Convergence reportedly switched to Bitwarden following a series of security breaches and incidents involving its previous password manager. Convergence says it’s experienced a reduction in time spent administering accounts, for which it cites the platform’s integration with Microsoft Active Directory and Entra. That’s resulted in especially fast adoption, particularly among users who were new to password management.Convergence has clients in a number of sectors, including engineering and manufacturing, plus many companies in industries where sensitive data is part of everyday business, such as healthcare and financial services.Bitwarden’s event logs are a big draw for many clients, which can help maintain accountability and security trails, letting organisations manage privileged access in complex environments and for multiple services.John Stephens, Chief Information Security Officer at Convergence Networks, also noted Bitwarden’s intuitive design, saying, “Its ease of administration and deployment, and its economic attractiveness make it the ideal password manager to offer to our clients.”Bitwarden’s partner programme features allows MSPs like Convergence Networks to integrate password and credential security into their wider services. MSPs can, for example, offer services like end-user training, policy enforcement, and cybersecurity audits, which can be valuable income streams.Bitwarden’s servicesBitwarden is designed to protect sensitive information by securing passwords, offering advanced data encryption, and multifactor authentication. It also monitors the dark web, notifying users if their credentials appear online. This helps prevent accounts being taken over, as users and their organisations can change hacked credentials. Using a password manager also encourages users to use unique usernames and passwords, so even in the event of a breach, only access to a single service is compromised.End users and IT administrators save time as the Bitwarden system reduces manual password management hassles like users forgetting passwords and needing them reset. Users can also share credentials and passwords securely inside groups they establish, making teamwork easier while maintaining security and granular control.The Bitwarden Active Directory integration, SCIM, and Login with SSO features encourage fast deployment and low barriers to entry. This makes for a swifter onboarding process and easy user provisioning, aspects of IT that MSPs rely on. IT admins can also set up and manage users centrally via integrations with company directories (AD and LDAP, for example) and single sign-on systems.Unlike some of its competitors, like 1Password and LastPass, Bitwarden software is almost entirely open source, meaning its core code is publicly available. This allows users to inspect, audit, and contribute to code if necessary. It’s this transparency which gives Bitwarden a major trust factor worldwide. The company also commissions external cybersecurity and encryption specialist companies to audit its software.Companies can choose to self-host Bitwarden on their own infrastructure if wanted, giving full control over sensitive data locations. If companies opt for the hosted service, on the other hand, no private keys are held by Bitwarden, so all sensitive data will remain encrypted, even if Bitwarden itself is compromised.While many password manager systems support a wide range of OS platforms and browsers, Bitwarden also provides support for niche browsers like Tor, plus it’s localised in over 50 languages. Add in its minimalist, easy to use interface, and it’s easy to see why Bitwarden is preferred by many businesses for secure password management.Like many password management providers, Bitwarden uses 256-bit AES encryption, no-knowledge architecture, and supports MFA. However, Bitwarden’s open sourced code and end-to-end encryption adds a layer of transparency and trust, giving users and security experts the opportunity to verify security measures independently. This ultimately ensures sensitive data remains as protected as possible from any unauthorised access.Bitwarden’s two-factor authentication (2FA) goes a step further than some competitors, like Zoho Vault. It supports multiple multifactor methods, including hardware FIDO2 keys, YubiKey, and Duo Push. This helps users protect their accounts better flexibily, and fits with any existing verification systems an organisation may already have invested in.Bitwarden’s success, as seen with MSPs like Convergence Networks, is down to its broad set of features, open-source transparency, and easy usability. Its self-hosting options, secure hosted platform, and broad cross-platform support, give users access all their passwords on all devices.(Image source: “PRIVATE NO ENTRY” by Brad Higham is licensed under CC BY 2.0.)Want to learn more about cybersecurity and the cloud from industry leaders? Check out Cyber Security & Cloud Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Digital Transformation Week, IoT Tech Expo, Blockchain Expo, and AI & Big Data Expo.Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.
Source: developer-tech.com