• Legic Announces New Partners
• Airport Rolls Out Biometric Security
• Smartran Adds Biometrics to Card Applications
• MTA to Introduce Electronic Fare Cards
• RSA Security and Adobe Enhance PDF
• First Data and GovConnect Partner
• Library Smart Cards for Students

Legic Announces New Partners

Legic Identsystems Ltd, a supplier of secure platforms for contactless Smart Card technology, has appointed Triton Ltd as its new licence partner in Slovakia.

Established in 1992, Triton Ltd specialises in the supply and installation of automatic access and attendance systems, parking place systems, access barriers, gates and turnstiles. The company is an authorised dealer for leading companies including Cotag, Gunnebo, RIB and Vidue. These companies are all ISO 9001 certificated, and guarantee the high quality of their products. In own brand systems, the company utilises their own products as well as components from prominent Slovakian companies. Triton also has a network of distributors throughout Slovakia, ensuring excellent supply and service facilities countrywide.

Stanislav Lupták, Director of Triton, says: "By becoming part of the Legic licensee program, we will have access to a high security contactless smart-card system, allowing us to incorporate flexible state-of-the-art solutions based on multi-application technology ideal for our product needs."

Stephen Neff, Vice President Sales & Marketing Legic Identsystems Ltd, concludes: "Triton has a fine reputation for developing integrated solutions of high quality for a wide range of applications. We are pleased to have Triton on board as part of our market expansion into Eastern Europe."

Legic has also announced that Airbus is using LEGIC technology for its employee company cards.

Established in 1970 and based in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer that consistently captures around half of all orders world-wide for airliners with more than one hundred seats. More than 3,000 Airbus aircraft are in service with more than 190 airlines around the globe and the company's product line-up includes twelve aircraft models from ranging from a 100-seat single-aisle aircraft up to the double-deck A380, the largest civil airliner ever.

Airbus operates sixteen development and manufacturing sites across four European countries as well as several subsidiary companies world-wide. Ownership is split between EADS (80%) and BAE Systems (20%) and the company has over 46,000 employees. Turnover is some 19.4 billion Euro and to date, Airbus has received more than 4,600 orders for aircraft from over 180 countries.

Airport Rolls Out Biometric Security

London City Airport has become one of the first in Europe to establish biometric security access for its 1,600 employees. Initially the system will only be used for staff, although "it could easily be rolled out to include all passengers," said Jenny Lloyd of London City Airport.

The system, designed by identity management company Daon, uses fingerprint recognition and a photo ID card to identify a unique data pattern for each scan. Actual fingerprints are not stored to preserve privacy.

"It will make this airport one of the most secure in Europe," said Oliver Tattan, Chief Executive Officer of Daon. "This is a first of its kind with a biometric infrastructure in place that includes all staff across all security areas."

Scanners now control access to all areas of the airport. Those entering restricted zones pass a smart ID over an electronic reader and then have their biometric finger template checked to confirm their identity.

In future the system, which tries to reduce the scope for human error, could be expanded to encompass other forms of identification, including iris or voice recognition.

Smartran Adds Biometrics to Card Applications

Kevin Farquharson, Director of Smartran, has announced that building on recent client work and investigation of alternative technology, Smartran is adding biometric based security controls to its client offering. This area of service and access security controls complements Smartran's existing expertise in Smart Card applications and end to end design and implementation of systems.

Smartran is continuously researching for its clients best of breed solutions for Smart Card applications and security. Its clients are frequently concerned when they find a lack of choice in solutions and limited competition between vendors to provide effective solutions. One area of growing interest is service and facility access security using biometric tests (e.g. fingerprint, iris scan, voice, face and signature). Organisations such as London City Airport, DVLA and passport issuers have notably announced their intentions to implement biometric-based security. Even with the wealth of information on the web and news sources it can still be difficult to line up all the possible alternatives when trying to select a solution. Smartran is frequently requested by clients to investigate and compare different solutions.

For example, Smartran has recently identified an innovative solution from Siemens who offers a Smart Card based solution that has been successfully installed for their customers in the Indian sub-continent. The solution is notable because it combines three biometric tests for facial appearance, fingerprint and speech pattern, which can all be compared to the encrypted data on the user's Smart Card. It is called the 'Intelligent Digital Passport' (IDP). They have integrated the hardware and software, which is used to capture the user's biometrics, personalise the Smart Card and verify the user on presentation of their card. A lower incidence of false access denial is achieved by using a combination of three tests, without compromising the level of security. Siemens have also achieved a level of compression and security encryption, which ensures the data on the card is secure and there is space for other applications.

MTA to Introduce Electronic Fare Cards

The dime-sized tokens used on Baltimore buses or streetcars since 1919 are to be replaced with electronic fare cards. The Maryland Transit Administration in the United States says the token will go off the market at the end of next month, the victim of cost-cutting and the relentless march of progress in fare collection systems. Use of tokens has been in steady decline: Only about two percent of trips on MTA buses, light rail and subway trains are paid for with tokens.

The MTA won't sell tokens after June 30, but will accept them for at least another year, until the new fare card is introduced. The MTA plans to raise the fare to $1.60 on July 1, but the agency won't require those who use tokens to pay an extra 30 cents to get on the bus. The message seems to be that riders who hoard tokens now will save 30 cents later.

MTA spokesman Alonza Williams said the agency is expecting a run on tokens. The MTA has more than 100,000 in the vault. Regular riders use monthly passes now anyway, which, at $54 per month, are cheaper than tokens.

This month, New York City stopped accepting tokens on its subway and stopped selling them in April. Officials there said the tokens are a pain to handle and costly to produce. Tokens dropped into fare boxes must be separated from the other coins, then repackaged and sent back out for sale. The MTA estimates that about 900,000 tokens are in circulation, though only 5,000 are plunked into fare boxes on any given day.

RSA Security and Adobe Enhance PDF

RSA Security has announced that it has certified the Adobe Acrobat 6.0 software family as RSA Keon Ready. This solution allows users to digitally sign and/or encrypt PDF files using certificates issued by RSA Keon Certificate Authority (CA) software. With this support, RSA Keon digital certificate management software further extends its role in securing e-business processes, both as a scaleable method for strong authentication of users, services and applications, as well as a key enabler of integrity for digital information on enterprise networks.

RSA Security and Adobe Systems Inc. worked closely to assure that Acrobat 6.0 is interoperable with RSA Keon software, which issues, manages and validates the end-user certificates that underlie digital signatures and public-key encryption.

Adobe Acrobat 6.0 software is designed to fully support RSA Keon digital signature and certificate technologies, which are used to authenticate the author of an electronic document and protect such documents from unauthorised access or modifications. To digitally sign and/or encrypt a document with RSA Keon issued digital certificates, the user simply obtains a Digital ID - a file that contains the signature information that can be shared with other users in a certificate, with both a private key and digital certificate - directly from RSA Keon software, and then sets up the Digital ID Settings. Utilising the Digital ID, the user can sign and/or encrypt documents as well as verify signatures and manage trusted communications.

Unlike most other electronic document formats, the security of an Adobe PDF document is linked to the file itself, and the digital signatures travel with the PDF document to provide ongoing assurances of authenticity and integrity. Additionally, where greater security is required, the issued certificate can be stored on an RSA Keon Web PassPort Virtual Card, on the RSA SecurID USB Token solution, or RSA SecurID Passage Smart Card software - all of which are designed to be interoperable with Adobe Acrobat software. Additionally, Adobe utilises RSA BSAFE encryption software to help ensure the privacy and confidentiality in the Acrobat 6.0 product.

First Data and GovConnect Partner

Government agencies now have more options when it comes to improving customer service operations due to a new arrangement between First Data Corp. subsidiary company, GovConnect, a provider of digital service delivery solutions, and First Data Resources, a provider of transaction processing services.

The new arrangement brings a full spectrum of modular, scalable business process services to deliver cost-effective support for government agencies of all sizes. By drawing on the infrastructure of First Data, GovConnect can help government agencies capitalise more fully on secure, scalable services to modernise service offerings, including benefit distribution, tax filing and payment, claims and compliance processing, database management, electronic funds transfer programs, plastic card services, and enterprise-wide information management strategies.

In addition, First Data can provide business process outsourcing options for governments that include advanced electronic funds transfer services; print and mail services capable of handling millions of pieces of mail daily; customer contact services capable of handling millions of calls weekly; and automated reporting and data delivery systems that eliminate manual reconciliation and save valuable resources.

Since its acquisition by eONE Global in the second quarter of 2002, GovConnect has implemented First Data capabilities on precedent setting government projects. GovConnect, in partnership with Western Union, another subsidiary of First Data, has enabled the acceptance of walk up child support payments. GovConnect is also leveraging the secure, scalable First Data customer contact capabilities in delivering consumer protection No-Call strategies. The First Data customer contact services in Daytona Beach, Fla., are currently in use to provide information for both consumers and telemarketers in the No-Call program.

Library Smart Cards for Students

The Neal F. Austin High Point Public Library in the United States has set up a personal computer and Internet connection at the Southside Recreation Center's computer lab, for the use of students. When the older students need help with their homework, the reference librarian at the main library building is only a few clicks away in real-time video and audio.

The library is the first in the state to use the technology with audio and video capability.

The virtual library, as it's called, is not just a homework tool. The program is intended to make the library more visible in the community and, ultimately, to make students and their parents more comfortable with library procedures, said Kem Ellis, director of the main library.

The Southside computer lab is used mostly by students at Fairview Elementary School, but it's open to the public. Anyone with a personal computer and Internet connection can use the virtual connection. The user just has to download a plug-in to send instant messages to the librarian. At High Point's main library, the librarian can see and talk to students with a Web cam, but the library controls both ends of the pipeline.

Besides real-time communication, the software has two main functions. The librarian can control the user's Web browser and mouse to help with research. Also, the application-sharing program makes it possible for the librarian to type in a student's document.

The software works with a Smart Card that tracks Internet use and blocks inappropriate material. Ellis said the library has issued at least 100 Smart Cards to Fairview students. When the library staff sent out applications to other schools, they received more than 500.

The Southside library is a partnership between Family Service of the Piedmont, the Boys and Girls Club of Greater High Point and the main library. Michelle McNair, a community resource coordinator for Family Service who directs the Southside center, said Fairview parents brainstormed the virtual connection idea a year ago.

The library applied for a federal library grant for technology enhancements. The library and community center received more than $36,000 in federal funds. The local match was provided by the United Way's Success by Six program.

McNair said several parents have been warming up to the computers, too. And now, most students and parents at Fairview own a library card. The Southside computer lab is open during the center's normal hours. McNair is looking for volunteers to help staff the library. Volunteers must be screened by Family Service and trained by the library.

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