IIJ Launches One-time Password Application "IIJ SmartKey"

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TOKYO-April 3, 2015-Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ, NASDAQ: IIJI, TSE1: 3774), one of Japan's leading Internet access and comprehensive network solutions providers, today announced that it launched the free "IIJ SmartKey" one-time password management application in the App Store and Google Play on April 1, 2015. The new application is an effective means of strengthening the security of user authentication for web services.

One-time passwords are disposable passwords that are valid for use only a single time. When verifying online identities for e-commerce transactions, social networking services, and the like, user authentication typically consists of inputting a user ID and a password. By adding a one-time password to this process and thus implementing two-factor authentication (two-step verification), the level of security can be increased, preventing unauthorized logins by impersonators and other breaches. IIJ SmartKey is a one-time password generation application for smartphones. The application can be used for two-factor authentication with a variety of web-based services that comply with the TOTP(*) standard. Multiple one-time passwords can be centrally managed on a single device.

• (*)TOTP (RFC6238 Time-based One-time Password Algorithm): A standardized time-synchronized one-time password authentication technology.

Development background

The goal of two-factor authentication with one-time passwords is to prevent unauthorized use of passwords by third-parties. It is frequently employed in online transactions, such as Internet banking, that require the use of advanced security measures. Recently, general awareness of security has been on the rise, and one-time password authentication is increasingly being deployed in web-mail services and social networking sites. IIJ strove to meet these needs for stronger security and to enable customers of all sorts to feel secure while accessing online services when it developed the free application; the design and ease-of-use of the application were given full consideration.

Summary of IIJ SmartKey

Specifications

Application name	IIJ SmartKey
Pricing	Free
Standard	TOTP (RFC 6238)
OS compatibility	iPhone (iOS 8.1 or newer), Android (4.0 or newer)
One-time password digits	6 or 8
One-time password update period	10 seconds to 86,400 seconds
Languages	Japanese, English (localization scheduled for release in June)
Application icon

Features

Pass code requirement

To prevent unauthorized use by third-parties, authentication with Touch ID or a pass code is required when the application launches. In addition, if authentication fails, input is blocked for a certain period, depending on the number of attempts.

Exporting of settings data

The application's settings data can be exported as a QR code. Settings data can be easily carried over when switching devices by reading the QR code displayed on the old device with the new device.

Screen image

IIJ focused on ease-of-use when it designed the simple interface so that a wide variety of customers could use the application.

Web services confirmed to work with IIJ SmartKey (as of March 13, 2015)

IIJ Secure MX Service (Spare Mail option), Amazon Web Services, Dropbox, Evernote, Facebook, Google Accounts, Google Apps for Work, Microsoft Accounts

• (*)IIJ will continue to add services verified to work with the application.

For details of the application, see the following website:

• http://www.iij.ad.jp/smartkey/ (Only in Japanese language)

How to use IIJ SmartKey

Step 1	Download the IIJ SmartKey application (free) （App Store：https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iij-smartkey/id974476420） （Google Play：https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.ad.iij.smartkey2）
Step 2	Log into the relevant web service which is compliant with two-factor authentication
Step 3	Read the displayed QR code on the web site and register it with IIJ SmartKey From the next login, the one-time password that IIJ SmartKey issues will be required.

IIJ will continue to strive to enable customers to use Internet-based services even more securely.

The statements within this release contain forward-looking statements about our future plans that involve risk and uncertainty. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results. Readers are referred to the documents furnished by Internet Initiative Japan Inc. with the SEC, specifically the most recent reports on Forms 20-F and 6-K, which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements.

For inquiries, contact

IIJ Corporate Communications

• +81-3-5205-6310
• +81-3-5205-6377
• press@iij.ad.jp

• (*) All company names and service names used in this press release are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.