Comparison

Best IBM i MFA Software

Four MFA products evaluated on 5250 and exit-point coverage, authentication method breadth, deployment effort, and vendor track record.

CriteriaFortra Powertech Multi-Factor AuthenticationPrecisely Assure MFARaz-Lee iSecurity MFATrinity Guard TGSecure MFA
5250 Sign-On CoverageExcellentExcellentGoodGood
Exit Point / Network MFAExcellentGoodGoodLimited
Authentication MethodsFIDO2, RADIUS, push, TOTPFIDO2, RADIUS, push, TOTPRADIUS, TOTP, pushRADIUS, TOTP
Deployment EffortModerateModerateModerateLow
Vendor Track Record on IBM iLongest-running, largest install baseStrong, suite-integratedNewer MFA moduleSmaller, specialist team

Our pick: Fortra Powertech Multi-Factor Authentication

Methodology: Scored on IBM i-specific coverage (5250 sign-on, exit points, ODBC/JDBC), authentication method breadth (FIDO2, RADIUS, push, TOTP), deployment effort, and vendor track record. We weighted 5250 green-screen and exit-point coverage most heavily, since that is where most IBM i MFA rollouts fail.

Why Fortra Powertech Wins

Fortra's Powertech Multi-Factor Authentication takes the top spot because it covers 5250 sign-on and network exit points equally well, supports the full range of modern authentication methods including FIDO2 and RADIUS integration into an existing enterprise MFA provider, and carries the longest track record and largest install base of any dedicated IBM i MFA product. Precisely Assure MFA is a close second and a genuinely strong choice, particularly for shops already standardized on Precisely's broader Assure suite for encryption or compliance monitoring, where consolidating onto one vendor's console has real operational value.

Raz-Lee's iSecurity MFA module is a solid option, especially for shops already running other iSecurity modules, but its shorter track record as a standalone MFA product keeps it a step behind the two suite leaders. Trinity Guard's TGSecure MFA is the best fit for cost-conscious mid-market shops that need core 5250 coverage without full exit-point-level MFA, and its lower deployment effort makes it a reasonable starting point for shops not yet ready for a full rollout.

Whichever product you choose, cover exit points, not just 5250 sign-on. An MFA rollout that stops at the green-screen leaves FTP, ODBC, and remote command access on password-only authentication, which defeats much of the point.

Contender Profiles

Fortra (Powertech)

Fortra's Powertech line (formerly HelpSystems, formerly PowerTech Group) is the longest-running dedicated IBM i security vendor and still the largest install base by most industry surveys, including its own annual State of IBM i Security Study. Powertech Multi-Factor Authentication, Authority Broker, Exit Point Manager, and Compliance Monitor are each strong standalone products.

Strengths

  • Largest install base among dedicated IBM i security vendors, with the deepest bench of IBM i-specific security expertise
  • Powertech Authority Broker is a mature, well-regarded privileged access / elevated-authority management product
  • Exit Point Manager provides granular network access control across FTP, ODBC, DDM, and remote command exit points
  • Publishes the annual State of IBM i Security Study, a widely cited independent-feeling data source (though vendor-funded)

Limitations

  • Product line grew through acquisition (PowerTech, Bytware, Robot, Vityl) and integration between modules is less unified than Precisely's single suite
  • Some legacy product UIs (Robot Console-adjacent tooling) show their age relative to newer competitors
  • Full stack pricing across MFA, Authority Broker, Exit Point Manager, and Compliance Monitor adds up for smaller shops

Best fit: Shops that specifically need best-in-class privileged access management (Authority Broker) or exit-point network control, and are comfortable managing several point products rather than one suite.

Precisely (Assure Security)

Precisely's Assure Security suite is the broadest single-vendor IBM i security platform on the market, spanning multi-factor authentication, encryption, compliance monitoring, and access control in one licensing family. It is the platform we point mid-size and enterprise IBM i shops to first when they need one vendor covering the most ground.

Strengths

  • Widest single-suite coverage: MFA, encryption, exit point control, and compliance monitoring under one console
  • Strong native IBM i journal-based monitoring with real-time SIEM forwarding (Splunk, QRadar, Sentinel)
  • Assure Encryption supports field-level and full-database encryption without application changes in most cases
  • Established install base and long IBM i-specific engineering history (originated from Townsend Security and Syncsort lineage)

Limitations

  • Suite pricing and licensing complexity increases as modules are added; full-suite cost is not the cheapest entry point
  • MFA client coverage for legacy green-screen sessions requires exit-point configuration that takes real implementation time
  • Reporting UI is functional but less modern than some newer point-solution dashboards

Best fit: Mid-size to enterprise IBM i shops that want one vendor for MFA, encryption, and compliance monitoring rather than stitching together point products.

Raz-Lee Security (iSecurity)

Raz-Lee's iSecurity suite covers firewall/exit-point control, antivirus, auditing, encryption, and MFA in a modular product line that is popular with mid-market IBM i shops, particularly in Europe. iSecurity Firewall and iSecurity Audit are the most commonly deployed modules.

Strengths

  • iSecurity Firewall gives real-time, rule-based exit-point control with strong logging detail
  • Native IBM i antivirus scanning (iSecurity Anti-Virus) is a differentiator versus vendors that rely on IFS-only scanning
  • Modular licensing lets smaller shops buy only the modules they need rather than a full suite
  • Strong presence and support infrastructure in European IBM i markets

Limitations

  • US market share and analyst mindshare trail Fortra and Precisely
  • Documentation and UI conventions can feel dated compared to Precisely's newer interfaces
  • MFA module is a newer addition to the suite with a shorter track record than Fortra's or Precisely's MFA products

Best fit: Mid-market shops, especially in Europe, that want modular exit-point firewall and native antivirus scanning without committing to a full enterprise suite.

Trinity Guard

Trinity Guard (TGSecure, TGAudit, TGDetect) is a smaller, IBM i-focused vendor built by veterans of the original PowerTech engineering team. Its products are priced aggressively and aimed at shops that want core compliance and threat-detection coverage without enterprise-suite overhead.

Strengths

  • Built by engineers with deep PowerTech/Powertech-era IBM i security experience
  • TGDetect provides real-time threat detection with behavior-based alerting on journal activity
  • Generally lower total cost of ownership than the two larger suite vendors
  • Responsive, IBM i-specialist support with a smaller, more accessible team

Limitations

  • Smaller company footprint means less bench depth for very large, multi-LPAR enterprise rollouts
  • Narrower third-party SIEM and integration ecosystem than Fortra or Precisely
  • Smaller analyst and public case-study presence makes independent verification of claims harder

Best fit: Cost-conscious mid-market shops that want solid compliance monitoring and threat detection without full enterprise-suite pricing.