Microsoft is positioning PhoneFactor as helping it to provide a broader range of authentication services to Microsoft's cloud customers. Microsoft has purchased PhoneFactor, a provider of phone-based, two-factor authentication offerings, for an undisclosed amount, the companies announced on October 4 2009. Microsoft is pitching the deal as helping the company provide "a broader range of authentication services to Microsoft's cloud customers." But the PhoneFactor technology also can be used to help secure on-premises products, such as SharePoint running on an in-house server, as well.