Atmel launches encrypted memory-card chips

Atmel launches encrypted memory-card chips

CTT JAN.qxd 15/01/2003 15:46 Page 7 news payments from 15 to 100, and full-blown PKI authentication for spending above this level. In another mo...

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CTT JAN.qxd

15/01/2003

15:46

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news payments from 15 to 100, and full-blown PKI authentication for spending above this level. In another move, the European Commission has approved the results of trials of Euro-Citi, a secure platform for such e-government initiatives as electronic forums, tele-consultation and televoting. The trials took place in three European Community cities – Athens, Barcelona and the London Borough of Brent. The Euro-Citi initiative is now expected to be extended to other European Community cities. The Euro-Citi research project was co-funded by the European Commission under the Information Society Technologies programme. The computing architecture for the trials was developed by Schlumberger, using key elements of the Schlumberger DeXa.Badge solution, (an ID badge which runs on the Cyberflex 32K Java card). Contact: Jose de Vries at SchlumbergerSema, Tel: +33 1 46 00 44 67, email: jdevries@montrouge. sema.slb.com

Semiconductors

Atmel launches encrypted memory-card chips Atmel Corp has launched its CryptoMemory range of chips for memory-only cards; the new data-encryption devices are intended to provide many of the security features previously only found in microprocessor-based systems. Cards based on the new chips will not require the added expense of an operating system or the input of programming resources; they should be both lower in cost and faster to bring to market than cards running on microprocessors. A range of CryptoMemory high density chips from 32K to 256K bits is on offer; for high volume deliveries, prices will range from US$0.54 for the 32K bit to US$1.00 for the 256K bit version. The first major user of the new devices is to be CardLogix, a US smart card producer that has developed platforms for loyalty, access, e-purse, health and digital identity systems. The new range will enable Atmel to offer its chips at competitive prices in smart card markets – such as driver’s licences, health care and other government applications – where the prime need is not data processing but the secure storage of sensitive data. As an example of how the family of circuits might be deployed, Atmel gives the driver’s licence in a country with many states and different requirements, such as the US, India or China. The aim is to produce cards with basic ID data that can be read by any terminal in any state, but which would

Card Technology Today January 2003

incorporate different applications for use where required. The chips would range from the 2K device (the AT88SC0204C) required in the basic ID card to the 64K chip (the AT88SC6416C) required in a card that carried, in addition, fingerprint, photo, driving violation and health data. Contact: Jean-Pierre Benhammou at Atmel, Tel: +1 719 540 1834, email: [email protected] or Cathy Clemensen at CardLogix, Tel: +1 949 380 1312, email: [email protected]

Multi-application cards

Hungarian bank pioneers e-banking Oberthur Card Systems is to supply a leading Hungarian bank, Kereskedelmi és Hitelbank (K&H Bank), with more than 100,000 Visacertified smart cards, through a mix of multiapplication Java Cards and simple cash cards. The high-end Java Cards will combine secure access to K&H Bank’s E-Bank service as well as providing Visa credit/debit functionality. They will be based on Oberthur’s CosmopolIC Java product, which incorporates PKI security. Oberthur has been working with K&H Bank for more than two years on e-business solutions and Visa pilot projects. There are plans to add further applications such as electronic signatures, loyalty schemes and an e-purse. Róbert Nemcsics, director of K&H Bank’s Retail Products and Channels, said: “At present, 90% of card use in this region is ATM related; the introduction of smart cards will help encourage consumer confidence in using cards for payments, because of the high level of security they can offer.” Hungary is among the first Central European countries to adopt chip card technology. The magnetic stripe will remain on the cards produced for K&H Bank until all the Hungarian banks have completed the installation of chipready terminals. Contact: Wais Wasiri at Oberthur Card Systems, +33 6 10 63 01 60, email: [email protected]

Mobile phones

Gemplus unveils new development kit Gemplus has launched GemXplore CASE 3.1 for Java Card, the latest in a range of kits designed to help developers reduce ‘time-tomarket’ for their STK (SIM Toolkit) applets. The package provides developers with the ability to develop and prototype real wireless applications at their own PCs, since it is not linked to a network. Developers can use the kit either to create a prototype STK service or to

in brief • Oberthur Card Systems and Welcome Real-time have launched EMV payment cards that will carry a loyalty application. The two companies have chosen Italy as their initial market for a low cost EMV debit–credit application (developed by Oberthur) and loyalty packages developed by Welcome. Welcome products include instantly-awarded loyalty points, coupons, vouchers, tickets and cash back. The Italian market, with 33 million cards in circulation, is one of the biggest payment card markets in Western Europe. After the United Kingdom, Italy is set to be the next country to migrate to EMV microprocessor cards. • Smart card supplier Datakey has joined forces with Pointsec Mobile Technologies, specialists in security software for laptops, desktops and PDAs. Pointsec software requires the user to authenticate their identity prior to computer start-up, with a single ID/password. After log-on, it automatically encrypts the contents of the user’s hard disk drive. Datakey smart cards deliver an extra layer of protection by giving users the ability to upgrade from user ID password-only authentication to two-factor security, based on password and possession of a smart card. • KT Corp (formerly Korea Telecom), South Korea’s largest telecommunication provider, is to use Bell ID’s ANDiS Management Systems to manage its EMV smart cards. The webbased system will enables KT Corp to manage the life cycle of cards, applications and cryptographic keys. In cooperation with South Korean banks, KT Corp issues smart cards to subscribers; these cards can include up to seven applications in the field of electronic payment, loyalty and ticketing. • US-based payment terminal leader VeriFone has added four new partners to its European marketing network. The company says it has chosen the partnership model rather than operating small local sales offices. The new partners are: EL-ME (Germany); SMARTEL (Italy): Necomplus (Spain); and VIDRA (Yugoslavia). After an unsatisfactory period as a subsidiary of Hewlett-Packard, and a short spell within the Gores Technology Group, the company was re-capitalised in mid-2002 by GTCR Golder Rauner. VeriFone says it is now ‘independent and profitable’. During 2002, VeriFone launched the Omni 3750 counter-top terminal (selling 70,000 in the first eight months after the launch) and the SC 5000 smart PINpad, which can be added to older POS terminals to equip them for EMV-based transactions.

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