Banks Giving Clients Single-Use Pass Code; Way To Boost Security; Authentication vendors sell financial companies ways to thwart ID theft.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)(Q & A)

Byline: DONNA HOWELL

Catering to banks helps Vasco's balance.

Years ago, Vasco Data Security International locked onto better safety in the financial industry. It became that field's top provider of products for strong user authentication. That is, ways to log onto computers or accounts securely.

Many banks have long outfitted workers with special tokens to make sure only authorized folks are accessing certain data on computer networks. These tokens display a single-use pass code that changes periodically. The code and a PIN number are used instead of a password alone. More and more, banks want customers to use the devices.

That bodes well for Vasco. The firm signed several dozen banking clients in the first half of the year.

IBD recently spoke with Vasco CEO Ken Hunt about how the company executes its strategy in the financial industry.

IBD: Who buys your products?

Hunt: Many of …