CyberArk has updated its Alero platform to offer better support to non-smartphone devices. In that regard, the company notes that close to 1.3 billion such devices are still in regular use, and workplaces need those devices to be just as secure as every other component of their networks.

With that in mind, the new Alero improvements will extend the utility of the Software-as-a-Service platform to cover a wider range of devices. Alero typically leverages passwordless biometric authentication to verify the identities of people gaining remote access to a CyberArk setup. The updated version introduces support for SMS and push notifications, which in turn allows the platform to protect devices without any biometric capabilities.

“There is no one-size fits all approach to security,” said CyberArk Alero VP Gil Rapaport. “CyberArk continues to expand the use cases the service addresses to support customers in all industries and geographic locations. Investments focused on driving innovation and adoption deliver greater flexibility, access and value to our customers.”

In other news, CyberArk announced that it has opened a new datacenter in Frankfurt, Germany in an effort to raise its international profile and meet the rising global demand for the Alero service. The company has also received six new patents, which concern biometric authentication and other Alero features.

CyberArk first started supporting remote access back in March, when it used biometric authentication to enable Zero Trust access for employees that need to gain access to sensitive work materials while away from the office. At the time, the company stressed the fact that remote work has become far more common in recent years.

That trend has only accelerated during COVID-19, leading many other companies to emphasize the importance of remote network security. For example, Yubico has been pushing its physical security keys, while BehavioSec has been promoting its own behavioral biometrics portfolio.