Looking to extend its RSA division's authentication product line, EMC has purchased identity verification services vendor Verid.

EMC had been selling Verid's services as part of its Adaptive Authentication suite since September of last year, but with the acquisition, the company can now offer better integration with the RSA product line, said Marc Gaffan, director of product marketing at RSA.

And that will help businesses that use RSA technology, he said. "We can make the acquisition of new customers more seamless and more rapid," he said.

Verid's service is what is known as a "knowledge-based authentication" product. It can search public records for difficult-to-answer questions that can be used to establish the identity of a user. "When they want to vet your identity, they'll ask you, for example, what was the make of your first car? Where did you live between 1990 and 1993?" Gaffan said.

EMC will continue to sell Verid's services as standalone products, but in about a year, they will also be integrated into the RSA eFraudNetwork information-sharing community, he added.

Founded in 1999, Verid has a staff of about 40 and is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Terms of the acquisition, which was finalized on June 1, were not disclosed.