Since 2011, the CANAL+ Group has trusted Ilex International IAM platform with optimising the security of its online services, offering subscribers more innovation than ever. The recent changes include strengthening password security, the deployment of multi-factor authentication and robot detection. The Group is also improving user comfort by providing smooth navigation on partner sites.
The solution implemented:
Sign&go Global SSO
Strong and adaptive authentication, access control, global SSO (Web SSO and eSSO), identity federation and mobile SSO.
The challenges
- Optimising the customer journey from registration to authentication for quick access to video consumption (live or catch-up)
- Centralising the mass market content on a single platform dedicated to subscribers
- Reinforcing the security of access to group sites from all devices
- Absorbing traffic peaks caused by high-interest events (football match)
- Taking authentication management out of the hands of group business lines
A customer reference base
of more than 18 million identities
The CANAL+ group is a benchmark player in channel publishing and the distribution of fee-paying television offers. It’s a pioneer in new audiovisual practices and a precursor in High Definition and mobile TV. The CANAL+ group is a provider and distributor of fee-paying television and multi-channel offers in both France and abroad.
In order to support its strategic business needs and to respond to consumers’ new habits, in 2011 the CANAL+ group launched the P@SS (Simple and Secure Access Platform) project, which enables it to develop the authentication and registration service across all the websites of its internet platform, as well as its mobile applications and catch-up TV services.
Since then, the Group has streamlined its websites to consolidate most of its consumer content onto a single main platform dedicated to subscribers (www.mycanal.fr). There are now four times as many subscribers as in 2011, many of which use mainly their tablets and smartphones to log in to online services.
It’s in this context that the Digital Experience Division is pursuing the P@SS project with Ilex International, with aims to strengthen the security of its consumer internet platform and improve the customer journey.
The solution: Sign&go Global SSO for strengthened passwords and multi-factor authentication imminent…
After having put single sign on (SSO) with Sign&go Global SSO Solution in place for all its subscribers at the beginning of the project, the group is now strengthening the security of passwords, while taking care to support users, throughout the entire process, from registration to authentication.
When creating their password, visual feedback displays its level of complexity and ensures that it complies with the new criteria. Regarding authentication, the user will soon be able to choose to strengthen the security of their account via multi-factor authentication. If they log in via a new browser, they must enter a code received by SMS in addition to their login and password.
« This progress enables us to raise awareness and directly involve our subscribers in the security of their account. Using a confirmation code received by SMS has become commonplace and our subscribers already know this system which, far from being perceived as a constraint, provide a secure and reliable approach.»
Ilex International: an innovative and responsive Identity and Access Management Expert (IAM)
Since the implementation of the P@SS project, the CANAL+ group has instigated its subscribers’ authentications, taking responsibility away from the group’s various business departments. All the Group developments have been consolidated via integration kits and APIs, facilitating the creation of new CANAL+ services without impacting on security.
« We are fully satisfied with Ilex International’s Sign&Go solution and have renewed our trust in them to meet our business challenges. The aim was to pool developments to save time by easily integrating the APIs in our sites and mobile apps. They were for example able to rapidly implement the “MyCanal free for 1 month” offer without having to manage the registration/authentication process. The subscribers sponsored one of their contacts in exchange for his contact details. It’s saved a considerable amount of time for the business, allowing departments to focus on developing sales opportunities and improving the customer relationship.»
In order to combat the increasing number of malicious IT programmes, CANAL+ has improved the security of user accounts by putting in place a robot detection mechanism in place across all Group sites, which verifies that the users who are signing on are legitimate people. To do so, Ilex International has used Google’s captcha service, an established and trusted solution.
Thanks to the expertise and responsiveness of Ilex International teams, the security of access to the platform has been considerably strengthened and fraud has been limited.
On the technological performance side, the Digital Experience Division has observed a clear reduction in the load time on servers, which were previously slowed down by attempts at account theft. The platform can now withstand 3 million sign-ons a day.
A robust SSO and Customer IAM platform which is evolving with the market
To adapt to consumers’ new practices, Ilex International put in place an interface with social networks and the use of third-party digital identities via identity federation mechanisms (LIEN PAGE 6).
Now, subscribers can also access partner sites (Orange OCS GO site and app) without having to create an additional account or sign on again.
The CANAL+ Group has become an identity supplier via the OAuth 2.0 protocol. This is an added benefit for subscribers, providing a smooth and secure customer journey, with no more repeated account and password creation.
The P@SS project is not ready to stop there: the Group plans to put in place browser detection. Subscribers will be alerted as soon as an irregular sign on is made with their login and password via a new browser. Another development prospect is migration of the identities reference base to a format in line with the latest technologies (MongoDB), with the aim of ensuring an optimal service for subscribers.
« The CANAL+ group gives special recognition to its customers. This is why we make the choice to employ innovative technologies, to satisfy them and meet their ever-changing needs, irrespective of the device used. Adapting to our customers is our prerogative. However, at a time when IT attacks and mass market data thefts are multiplying, we cannot work to the detriment of security. Functionality and security must go hand in hand.»
The benefits
- Increase in the level of authentication security
- Raising subscribers’ awareness to the security of their account
- Improvement of the mass market Internet platform performance
- Authentication roll-out via integration kits and APIs
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