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Wednesday, January 1, 2003
Early this year, CR80News published its first-ever in depth review of banking and campus cards. In the issue, we profiled the major financial institution’s driving the relationships with campus card programs and highlighted many of the country’s leading projects. In an effort to spot trends and determine if our editorial team was correct and that banking relationships are indeed returning to a position of prominence in the card market, we revisited that article. We contacted the financial institutions profiled in the March 2003 issue to see what had developed in the 8 months since the article was published. By all indications, banking partnerships seem to be on the rise.
Friday, December 27, 2002
Coalition-Based Rewards Programs with Open and Real-Time Redemption Will Transform Rapidly Growing Consumer Loyalty Industry
Thursday, December 19, 2002
FREMONT, Calif. and LUND, Sweden, Dec. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ – ActivCard(R) (EUROPE: ACTI) , the leader in IDentity Management (IDM) software for remote access, single sign-on and digital ID card solutions, today announced an expanded cooperation with its partner Precise Biometrics AB (publ), developer and provider of world-leading and user-friendly biometric security solutions based on fingerprints, to deliver smart card-based identification (ID) badge solutions with biometric authentication. ActivCard has incorporated Precise Biometrics’ technology for fingerprint matching on smart cards, Precise Match-on-Card(TM), to its ActivCard Gold(TM) 2.2 software, the most successful and widely deployed smart ID card middleware platform available on the market today.
The expanded partnership between ActivCard and Precise Biometrics will enable network users, integrators and service providers to benefit from a multi-factor authentication solution that includes a biometric credential. By leveraging Precise Match-on-Card capabilities to add fingerprint verification as an additional security factor, users strengthen the PIN-based authentication of their smart ID cards managed by ActivCard Gold 2.2 client software. By verifying the fingerprint directly on the card, the Precise Match-on-Card method guarantees that the reference biometric template (the user’s identity) never leaves the card, so it is not subject to theft. Also, this method guarantees the user’s privacy: the personal biometric template is under the control of the user at all times – stored on her smart card. The partnership includes the licensing of Precise BioMatch(TM) Pro and Precise BioMatch(TM) J software for integration into ActivCard Gold 2.2’s desktop client software, which was designed for enterprise businesses and U.S. Government civilian agency digital ID card programs.
“Combining smart cards and fingerprint biometrics at the middleware software level is a powerful and cost-effective security solution that virtually eliminates fraud because a thief needs to know your user ID and PIN number, needs a fingerprint matching the one stored on the card and must possess the device that is registered to the ActivCard Gold software,” said David Putnam, director of product marketing, ActivCard. “For users it’s a no- brainer; they’re already familiar with how to carry a plastic card in their wallet and now they can add laying down a fingerprint on a reader for an unbeatable way to protect themselves from identity theft.”
“We are pleased that ActivCard has chosen Precise Match-on-Card as its premier method of fingerprint biometric authentication for its market-leading smart card middleware, designed for non-DoD government agencies and the enterprise,” said Christer Bergman, president and CEO of Precise Biometrics. “The extended cooperation with ActivCard gives us the chance to, not only, pursue the growing number of opportunities within civilian government agencies and industry, but also to continue our ongoing sales within the U.S. Department of Defense, in order to become the leading supplier of fingerprint biometrics for smart ID cards.” ActivCard now has the industry’s first complete portfolio of biometric authentication technologies incorporated into its IDentity Management (IDM) software and digital identity card solutions portfolio. The portfolio now includes ActivCard Gold Match-on-Card in addition to Trinity(TM) Secure Single Sign-On Solution Match-on-Server; Trinity Match- on-PC; and the industry’s first and only FIPS-validated Match-on-Card smart card applet. This complete portfolio provides a competitive advantage in the marketplace because security administrators have been seeking flexibility in the choice of where to deploy biometric matching capabilities – at the card, at the server, or on the PC – so they can most easily integrate the technology within their existing identity management and security platforms.
Smart ID cards combined with biometric authentication are the preferred technology platform for new ID badge programs being evaluated by the Department of Homeland Security and other U.S. government agencies, according to the e-Authentication initiative advocated by the President’s National Advisor for Cyber Security Richard Clarke in his draft National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, dated September 18, 2002. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration, for example, is – like many government agencies, financial institutions and corporations – holding evaluation trials on combinations of biometric and smart card access technologies, in order to more securely verify that transportation workers and travelers are who they say they are.
About ActivCard
ActivCard, http:/ /www.activcard.com/, is the leader in IDentity Management (IDM) software for remote access, single sign-on and digital ID card solutions. Our scalable IDM and strong authentication solutions are trusted by organizations - from enterprise to governments around the world. ActivCard IDM systems deliver maximum Return On Identity(TM) (ROI) through increased security, reduced cost, and user convenience. The modular product design allows our customers to add capabilities as required, preserving their investment.
The statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with fluctuations in operating results, our history of losses, the concentration of our customer base, our reliance on strategic relationships, acquisitions and managing the Company’s future growth, and other risks identified in the Company’s periodic filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to those appearing under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F. Actual results, events and performance may differ materially.
NOTE: ActivCard is a registered trademark and ActivCard Gold, Trinity, and Return on Identity are trademarks of ActivCard in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners in the United States and/or other countries.
About Precise Biometrics
Precise Biometrics is an innovative security company that supplies world-leading systems for authentication using fingerprints. The solutions supplied by the company replace keys, PIN codes and passwords. The company’s products are cost effective and provide security and comfort combined with top-class protection of personal integrity. The range of products includes systems for access control to computers and networks and for building into mobile and terminals, such as mobile phones and portable computers. The company headquarters are in Lund, Sweden. The company also has offices in Stockholm and a U.S. subsidiary in Washington, D.C. Precise Biometrics is listed on the O-list of the Stockholm Stock Exchange (symbol: PREC A). For additional information, visit http:/ /www.precisebiometrics.com/
MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT - Click Here http:/ /tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X80551760 ActivCard
CONTACT: Megan O’Reilly-Lewis of ActivCard, Inc., +1-510-574-1789, or mlewis@activcard.com, or Christina Zinck of ActivCard Europe, Suresnes, France, +33 (1) 42 04 84 00, or christina.zinck@activcard.fr; or Christer Bergman, +1-703-405-8255, or christer.bergman@precisebiometrics.com, Gunilla Savring, +46 46 31 11 14, or gunilla.savring@precisebiometrics.com, both of Precise Biometrics AB
Web site: http:/ /www.precisebiometrics.com/
Web site: http:/ /www.activcard.com/
Thursday, December 12, 2002
Trintech Group Plc (Nasdaq: TTPA; Neuer Markt: TTP), a leading provider of secure payment solutions, today announced that An Post, Ireland’s Post Office Authority, has deployed Trintech’s secure, chip-enabled PINPad infrastructure nationally.
Tuesday, December 10, 2002
NTRU’s William Whyte, Nicholas Howgrave-Graham and Daniel Lieman to Discuss Mathematical and Practical Considerations in Cryptography
NTRU, the only provider of strong security that fits everywhere, today announced that William Whyte, director of cryptographic research and development at NTRU, Nicholas Howgrave-Graham, senior cryptographer at NTRU and Daniel Lieman, NTRU co-founder and director of applications will speak at the American Mathematical Society’s 2003 Joint Mathematics Meetings. During the “Short Course on Public-Key Security,” organized by Lieman, they will discuss basic cryptographic techniques, how they are applied today, as well as the goals of current research. The course will be held in Baltimore, Maryland from January 13-14, 2003. NTRU cryptography provides user authentication and data encryption in highly constrained environments such as contactless smart cards and RFID devices. “With the lack of cost-effective, practical security techniques available for identification and payment tokens, cryptographic innovation is more important than ever,” said Lieman. “This course will help promote research and achievements that will ultimately enable consumers and enterprises alike to apply encryption to practical purposes.”
The Joint Mathematics Meetings aim is to advance mathematical achievement, encourage research and provide a communication forum conducive to field study and progress. During the two-day course in Baltimore, Whyte will describe implementation issues and security considerations for public-key cryptosystems based on the standard discrete logarithm problem. Howgrave-Graham will highlight current research in cryptography, including the challenge of constructing secure public-key cryptosystems. Lieman’s talk will survey the state-of-the-art construction of secure systems from public-key and symmetric-key cryptographic primitives. Other speakers will include academic researchers in mathematics and cryptography from the United States and Australia.
– What: “AMS Short Course on Public Key Cryptography”
– Where: American Mathematical Society’s Joint Mathematics Meetings;
Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland
– When: January 13-14, 2003
– Who: William Whyte, Director of Cryptographic R & D, NTRU
Nicholas Howgrave-Graham, Senior Cryptographer, NTRU
Daniel Lieman, Co-founder, Director of Applications, NTRU
Prior to joining NTRU, Whyte was senior cryptographer with Baltimore Technologies in Dublin, Ireland. He holds a B. A. from Trinity College, Dublin, and a D.Phil. from Oxford University.
Howgrave-Graham is a senior cryptographer at NTRU. He has published many papers on cryptography, including fundamental work on the security requirements for random number generators in the Digital Signature Algorithm. Before coming to NTRU, Howgrave-Graham worked for two years at the IBM, Yorktown Heights Research Lab in New York. He holds a B.A. from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and a Ph.D. from the University of Bath.
Lieman co-invented certain NTRU technology and represents NTRU on a number of standards bodies. He has more than 20 years of experience in systems development and R&D. Lieman holds a B.A. in Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. from Brown University.
About NTRU
NTRU is the only provider of strong security that fits everywhere. Based on the most fundamental innovation in cryptography in more than 20 years, NTRU eliminates historic price, performance and usability tradeoffs in security. NTRU delivers strong, fast security that operates with minimal power consumption and fits into a tiny footprint, making it easy for customers to build devices that people trust. NTRU security is gaining widespread adoption in the contactless, radio frequency identification (RFID), mobile communications, multimedia and embedded markets. Headquartered in Burlington, Mass., NTRU is backed by Texas Instruments, Sony Corporation, Macrovision, Lehman Brothers Venture Capital, Investor AB, Granite Ventures, Greylock and 3i. For more information, visit www.ntru.com.
Tuesday, December 10, 2002
Teradyne announced Giesecke & Devrient has selected Teradyne’s J750k low cost VLSI Test System for design verification and electrical qualification of Integrated Circuits for contacted Smart Cards. Giesecke & Devrient, a leading worldwide supplier of smart cards and cutting-edge system solutions, selected the J750k based on ease of program generation and the open software concept of Teradyne’s IG-XL software. The small footprint of the J750k enables Giesecke & Devrient to perform design verification and qualification test up to 32 sites in parallel, in an engineering laboratory instead of occupying valuable production test floor space.
“Design verification for smart cards has 3 major issues,” said Michael Lamla, Dipl.-Phys. Cryptology/Semiconductor Security Technology Center, R&D-Smartcards, Giesecke & Devrient GmbH. “Program generation must be easy and fast, characterization support on multiple sites must be effortless and the test system must be small enough to be used in a laboratory. After reviewing a variety of test systems we determined Teradyne’s J750k exceeds in all these key areas and at the most attractive price point.” “We are grateful to have Giesecke & Devrient as a new customer and the selection of the J750k as their design verifier of choice,” said Martin Stadler, Product Manager, Consumer Business Unit, Teradyne. “The open software concept of IG-XL is designed to be easily modified and accommodate new design verification needs. As Giesecke & Devrient further enhance their Smart Cards, Teradyne looks forward to supporting their design verification needs today and in the future.”
About Integra J750k
The Integra J750k provides a full suite of characterization and debug tools, and powerful AC and DC instrumentation, in a small “test-head only” footprint. The system features IG-XL test software, a revolutionary test development suite combining the power and performance of the latest PC technology and Windows NT operating system with the familiarity of standard Windows productivity tools, like Microsoft Excel and Visual Basic. The Integra J750k was designed specifically to reduce the cost of test without compromising production efficiency, flexibility or reliability. The basic configuration starts with 64 pins at 50MHz and can be expanded up to 256 pins at 100MHz. As requirements increase, the system may be upgraded to higher pin counts with field hardware and software upgrades. The J750k may also be configured with system options, like the mixed-signal or memory test options, to address the variation of testing needs and is 100% software and DIB compatible with the entire J750 family.
About IG-XL Software
IG-XL takes the best features of the Integra J750’s proven Windows NT(R)-based software and the robust test development environment of Teradyne’s Catalyst/Tiger’s IMAGE to create a test program environment focused on the device. IG-XL features graphical point-and-click templates, test elements, and test procedures - including the new Mixed Signal Workshop. Test program components may be reused across multiple devices that share IP cores. And for experienced users, there’s direct access to the test code for detailed debugging. IG-XL also goes from single-site to multi-site test instantly for faster production release.
About Giesecke & Devrient (G&D)
Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) is an international technology group with 150 years of tradition. Founded in 1852, G&D first specialized in banknote printing and security paper manufacture, later adding currency automation systems to its product portfolio. Today, G&D is also a technology leader in the fields of smart cards and system solutions for telecommunications, electronic payments, transportation, health, ID, loyalty, pay-TV, multimedia and Internet security (Public Key Infrastructure).
The Giesecke & Devrient Group, headquartered in Munich, operates subsidiaries and joint ventures all over the world. G&D employs around 6,500 people world-wide and generated a revenue of EUR 1.12 billion in fiscal 2001.
About Teradyne
Teradyne (NYSE: TER) is the world’s largest supplier of automatic test equipment and is also a leading supplier of high performance interconnection systems. Teradyne’s test products are used by manufacturers of semiconductors, circuit assemblies, voice and broadband telephone networks. Teradyne’s backplane assemblies and high-density connectors are used by manufacturers of communications and computing systems central to building networking infrastructure. The company had sales of $1.4 billion in 2001 and currently employs about 8000 people worldwide. For more information visit www.teradyne.com. CONTACT: Teradyne US
Karen Kilcoyne, 781/487-5316
karen.kilcoyne@teradyne.com
or
Teradyne Europe
Petra Zillig, +49 89 41861 205
petra.zillig@teradyne.com
or
Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
Andrea Bockholt, +49 89 41 19-2422
andrea.bockholt@de.gi-de.com
Internet: www.gi-de.com URL: http://www.businesswire.com
Tuesday, December 10, 2002
Oberthur Card Systems, a global leader in the smart card industry, today announced that it has supplied the Hungarian Tax Office with the client elements of an innovative tax return system. The new web based system not only offers optimum security, but is also set to significantly reduce processing times.
In accordance with new government legislation, Hungary’s top 500 corporate taxpayers will now have to submit their returns electronically, authenticated by a secure digital signature, by October 2002. The new system means that they no longer have to submit their returns on paper, thus eliminating the need for a physical presence and allowing the forms to be sent securely from a remote location. In preparation for the new scheme, Oberthur has supplied the Hungarian Tax Office with its AuthentIC Web Pack, comprising Java(tm) based cryptographic smart cards, card readers and related client software. The smart cards have the highest security certification (EAL4+) and supports the AuthentIC application.
This project’s main importance is, that this is the first widespread use of digital signatures in the Hungarian Government sector.
“We are delighted to be working with the Hungarian Tax Office on one of the first and most innovative tax projects in Central Europe” commented Ian Robson, Managing Director, Northern Region, Oberthur Card Systems. “This highly successful implementation puts us in a strong position to attract even more government sector business in this region.”
“We are pleased to be able to offer our top taxpayers a truly world class, secure tax returns system,” commented KirAly LAszlo Gyorgy, President, Hungarian Tax Office. “Our new system delivers three benefits to all parties: simplicity, security and speed,” he concluded.
About Oberthur Card Systems
Oberthur Card Systems, listed on the Euronext Stock Exchange (Code Euroclear 12413) since July 2000, is one of the world’s leading providers of card-based solutions, software and applications including SIM and multi-application smart cards and services ranging from consulting to personalisation.
Innovative products and high quality services ensure Oberthur’s strong positioning in its three main target markets.
* Payment: 52 per cent of revenues in 2001. The company is the world leader and number one supplier for Visa and MasterCard.
* Mobile Communications: 31 per cent of revenues in 2001, with open and interoperable solutions based on Java(tm) technology.
* Authentication and Network Security: emerging markets in which the company plays a pioneering role, with strong expertise in security and a dominant position in e-commerce and Pay-TV.
Close to its customers, Oberthur Card Systems benefits from an industrial and commercial presence across all five continents.
Oberthur Card Systems is a subsidiary of Francois-Charles Oberthur Group.
Web site: www.oberthurcs.com
CONTACT: Alex Sowden/Sarah Webb/Richard Fogg, Companycare Communications
Tel: +44 (0)118 939 5900
Fax: +44 (0)118 959 9595
e-mail: alexs@companycare.com
e-mail: Sarahw@companycare.com
e-mail: Richard@companycare.com
Wais Wasiri, Oberthur Card Systems
e-mail: w.wasiri@oberthurcs.com
((M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com)).
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