Beyond Identity
By Beyond Identity
Beyond Identity is a passwordless authentication vendor whose platform replaces passwords and traditional MFA with asymmetric cryptographic key pairs bound to a device, verifying both user identity and device security posture at the moment…
Definition
Beyond Identity is a passwordless authentication vendor whose platform replaces passwords and traditional MFA with asymmetric cryptographic key pairs bound to a device, verifying both user identity and device security posture at the moment of login rather than relying on a shared secret that can be phished, stolen, or reused. The private key is generated and stored in device hardware and never transmitted, removing the reusable secret attackers typically target.
Overview
Passwords and most traditional multi-factor authentication methods, one-time codes sent by SMS or generated by an app, remain vulnerable to phishing, because both the shared secret and the second factor can be captured or relayed by an attacker who tricks a user into entering them on a fake login page. Beyond Identity's premise is that eliminating shared secrets entirely, rather than adding more of them, is the more durable fix, using public-key cryptography where the private key never leaves the user's device and nothing reusable is ever transmitted or typed. When a user registers, the platform generates an asymmetric key pair on the device itself, storing the private key in secure hardware, a TPM, Secure Enclave, or equivalent, and registering the public key with the authentication service. At login, the service issues a challenge that only the correct private key can sign, so there is no password or code to intercept, phish, or replay; a captured signed response is useless for a future login since each challenge is unique. Beyond Identity extends this further by binding authentication to real-time device posture checks, verifying that the authenticating device meets security requirements, patched OS, disk encryption enabled, no known malware, before granting access. This places Beyond Identity within the passwordless and FIDO2/WebAuthn-aligned authentication category alongside passkey implementations from major platform vendors, but its differentiation is combining passwordless cryptographic login with continuous device risk signals evaluated at each authentication event, rather than treating device trust as a one-time enrollment check. It differs from traditional MFA vendors like RSA or Duo by removing the shared-secret model entirely rather than layering a second factor on top of a password. In practice, organizations deploy Beyond Identity to eliminate phishing-resistant login for workforce access to cloud applications and VPNs, and to add real-time device compliance as a gating condition for access, useful in regulated industries that need to prove not just who logged in but that the device used met security baseline requirements at that moment. It integrates with existing identity providers as an authentication method rather than replacing the broader identity platform. The trade-off of a fully passwordless, device-bound model is recovery and device-loss handling: since credentials are tied to hardware-backed keys rather than something memorized, losing or replacing a device requires a deliberate re-enrollment process, and organizations must plan account recovery flows carefully to avoid reintroducing a weaker fallback method that undermines the phishing resistance the platform otherwise provides.
Key Features
- Uses asymmetric key pairs generated and stored on-device instead of passwords
- Stores private keys in hardware-backed secure storage such as a TPM or Secure Enclave
- Verifies real-time device security posture as part of each authentication
- Eliminates shared secrets, removing phishing and credential-replay risk
- Aligns with FIDO2/WebAuthn passwordless authentication standards
- Integrates as an authentication method within existing identity providers
- Issues unique per-login challenges that cannot be reused if intercepted
- Gates access on device compliance signals like OS patch level and encryption status
Use Cases
Alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions
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