Callsign Intelligence Driven Authentication

Organizations in finance, eCommerce, and other web-facing sectors are under pressure to modernize consumer authentication while meeting tightening regulations, cutting IT and fraud costs, and improving digital customer experiences. Passwords are framed as both insecure and expensive to maintain, while knowledge-based authentication is portrayed as even weaker. As a result, many organizations—often already running IAM stacks—are pursuing modular, mobile-centric authentication that can deliver stronger security with less friction, especially as regulations increasingly require strong or multi-factor authentication and better fraud controls. Key regulatory drivers cited include AML, EU PSD2, KYC, and the New York cybersecurity law (NY CCR). Smartphones are emphasized as a near-ubiquitous “something you have” factor, and PSD2 RTS is highlighted for requiring strong customer authentication and behavioral analysis for transaction authorization.

Callsign is presented as an integrated platform spanning registration, strong/adaptive authentication, and identity fraud management, aiming to replace fragmented point solutions with an end-to-end approach across onboarding and recurring access. Its “Intelligence Driven Authentication” uses analytics and AI/ML to analyze signals and behavior to identify anomalies and shape flexible customer journeys. The platform is organized into an Intelligence Engine (data collection and analysis), a Policy/Decisioning layer (orchestration, journey mapping, templates, and testing/simulation), and an Authenticators layer (possession, knowledge, inherence methods), plus an SDK for app and web integration. The Intelligence module builds a user “digital DNA” from device, location, and behavioral dynamics (keystroke, mouse, swipe, touch), enabling passive and continuous authentication after few interactions, while emphasizing Privacy by Design, minimal data collection, and consent controls.

Strengths include coherent integration of authentication, fraud management, and consent/privacy, flexible low-code journey configuration, REST APIs, and scalable deployments. Challenges center on Callsign’s smaller size, limited partner ecosystem, and the absence of FIDO standards support (noted as on the roadmap).

• Password authentication is described as insecure, costly to maintain, and harmful to consumer experience.
• Knowledge-based authentication is characterized as a worse alternative than passwords.
• EU PSD2 RTS requires strong customer authentication and user behavioral analysis to authenticate and authorize monetary transactions.
• Smartphones can serve as the “something you have” factor in multi-factor authentication scenarios.
• Callsign is headquartered in London, UK.
• Callsign’s platform is split into Intelligence Engine, Policy/Decisioning, and Authenticators modules.
• The platform can collect device information, location data, and behavioral data including keystroke, mouse, swipe, and touch dynamics.
• Callsign Policy supports graphical journey display and provides pre-built templates for common scenarios.
• The solution exposes REST APIs and is cloud-hosted, with an on-premises option available by customer request.
• Callsign Authentication does not yet support FIDO Alliance standards, and this support is stated to be on the roadmap.

• “Password authentication is not only insecure, but it leads to poor consumer experiences and is costly for businesses to maintain.”
• “Knowledge-based authentication is an even worse alternative.”
• “Smartphones can serve as a second factor, or the ‘something you have’ factor in Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) scenarios.”
• “Callsign names this ‘Intelligence Driven Authentication’, by using advanced analytics and AI to analyze the signals and input collected and to make decisions based on these analytics.”
• “The solution is split into three areas: Intelligence Engine… Decisioning… Authenticators…”
• “Information collected includes device information, location data, and behavioral data such as keystroke, mouse, swipe, touch dynamics…”
• “This results in the ability to use passive background authentication for both initial authentication and as a means of continuous authentication during a session.”
• “These can be defined in a very simple way, building on natural language and allowing for configuring such journeys without coding.”
• “An outstanding capability in this area is the testing and simulation ability, which allows for both active testing and passive testing.”
• “The one major shortcoming in that area is that there is no support for FIDO Alliance standards yet, which are massively gaining momentum in authentication.”