ACTIVCARD UNVEILS THE FIRST AND ONLY SMART CARD SECURITY MIDDLEWARE FOR ALL MAJOR OPERATING SYSTEMS

Industry Leading ActivCard Gold Client Software for Linux, Mac OS X, and Sun Solaris Now Available For Enterprise-Class Digital Identity Solutions

ACTIVCARD UNVEILS THE FIRST AND ONLY SMART CARD SECURITY MIDDLEWARE FOR ALL MAJOR OPERATING SYSTEMS

Industry Leading ActivCard Gold Client Software for Linux, Mac OS X, and Sun Solaris Now Available For Enterprise-Class Digital Identity Solutions

FREMONT, CALIFORNIA & Staines, UK (PRWEB) June 23, 2003 - ActivCard (NASDAQ: ACTI / NASDAQ EUROPE: ACTI), the leader in IDentity Management (IDM) software, today announced three new versions of its flagship smart card-based authentication and digital signature solution, ActivCard Gold(tm) for Linux, ActivCard Gold for Mac OS X, and ActivCard Gold for Solaris. Corporate and government organisations can now safeguard nearly 100 percent of their desktops, laptops, and servers with multi-application smart card technology - for secure login, secure remote access, secure web, as well as secure email signing and encryption. Organisations can now confirm and validate user identity with the strong authentication capability of ActivCard Gold from any computing system in the enterprise operating on the four most prominent platforms. ActivCard's leading smart card middleware on the major operating systems of Linux, Mac OS X, and Solaris in addition to the popular selling Windows extends the breadth of supported platforms to address the security threats within a heterogeneous enterprise.

Common Access Card (CAC)-Compatible for Securing Government Workstations
The combined effect of the U.S. Department of Defense directive to provide an integrated public key infrastructure for secure email by October 2003, as well as the armed services mandate to implement the standard DoD smart card, is driving the need for cross-platform solutions - and for commercial products that enable agencies to comply. The multi-platform ActivCard Gold capability uniquely meets those requirements for identity management, secure email and CAC smart card functionality that apply universally across all desktops and servers.

"With 2.5 million licenses sold to date, ActivCard Gold has set the bar on smart card middleware quality with high performance, proven security, ease of deployment and management," said Steven Humphreys, ActivCard chief executive officer. "Completing a comprehensive suite of commercially available smart card middleware for any major PC or workstation platform further establishes ActivCard as a leader in identity management solutions."

Like the ActivCard Gold for Windows client software already deployed by the U.S. DoD, these new multi-platform products bring the same high levels of compatibility, support and certification for CAC smart card specifications. All ActivCard middleware products are GSC-IS-compliant (with General Services Administration CAC Interoperability Standards) - and are fully interoperable with ActivCard's FIPS 140-1 Level 2-certified applets and smart cards. With added value built upon the open-sourced M.U.S.C.L.E. (Movement for the Use of Smart Cards in a Linux Environment) smart card framework, ActivCard extends the government standards attainment for smart card functionality on the Linux and Mac OS X platforms.

Locking Down the Enterprise Data Center
ActivCard Gold multiple platform support enables administrators to complete the end-user security of the organisation with enterprise-grade strong authentication and digital signature capabilities. Where in the past, smart card security efforts have focused primarily on Windows, most major government agencies and enterprises have a mixed infrastructure requiring a cross-platform strategy. In addition to enhanced security, smart card deployments offer enterprises substantial financial savings from reduced TCO and lowered password management and help desk costs. This ability to streamline processes over complex networks and across all desktops and servers within an organisation results in maximum ROI.

"IT buyers using tokens and smart card systems are reaping more than $72 in labour savings per [user] account, each year", said Jim Hurley, VP of security and privacy at Aberdeen Group. "For an enterprise with 500 accounts this translates into more than $36,000 per year, and with 5,000 accounts the savings is more than $360,000 per year."

Sun Solaris and a growing number of Linux servers are foundational elements within enterprise data centres. ActivCard smart card-based two-factor authentication augments security for users and administrators accessing those systems where the most sensitive and valuable resources of the organisation are housed. Approximately 38 percent of all servers and PCs operate on Unix-based and alternative operating systems*. These include Solaris, Linux, and Mac OS X which present a relatively untapped market in terms of securing network vulnerabilities, validating user identity, and preventing unauthorised entry. ActivCard Gold now provides a total solution for digital identity addressing the diversity of personnel and equipment in use regardless of their computing platform.

*Source IDC

About ActivCard
ActivCard, www.activcard.com <http://www.activcard.com>, is the leader in IDentity Management (IDM) software for remote access, secure sign-on and digital ID card solutions. Our scalable IDM and strong authentication solutions are trusted by organisations - from enterprise to governments around the world. ActivCard IDM systems deliver maximum Return On Identity (ROI) through increased security, reduced cost, and user convenience. The modular product design allows our customers to add capabilities as required, preserving their investment.

More About ActivCard Gold
The solution from ActivCard supports more applications, smart cards, readers, PKI certificate authorities and operating environments than any other digital identity middleware. ActivCard Gold for Linux, Mac, and Solaris have augmented features and functionality for large scale roll-outs that offer the most advanced security, convenience for users, and streamlined deployment including:

Cross-Platform Capabilities

Login to OS using smart card plus PIN authentication with automated retrieval of a username/password or PKI certificate stored on the card
Email signing and encryption using a PKI certificate and key stored on a smart card
Encrypted browser communications using PKI certificates and keys stored on smart card
Auto lock / logout workstation on smart card removal and screen saver unlock using a smart card and PIN
Card Explorer to manage credentials, view CAC demographics, view certificates, and change PIN
Support for ActivCard Identity Management System User Self-Service Portal and Defense Manpower Data Centre (DMDC) User Portal for post-issuance management of smart card credentials
Advanced set-up, configuration, installation, and management features
OSs: Mac OS X 10.2.x, Red Hat 8.x, Red Hat 9.x, Solaris 8.x, Solaris 9.x
Browsers: Netscape 7 and Mozilla 1
Support for GNOME 2.0, KDE 3.0.3, and CDE desktop managers
Support for Citrix environments on Solaris and Linux

ActivCard Gold for Linux
·     Commercial-off-the-shelf solution for Linux that supports secure smart card-based PKI login with automatic CRL and OSCP checking for PKI login certificates

·     Offers the Linux community of users a fully supported smart card-based security solution with complete support and maintenance from ActivCard

ActivCard Gold for Mac OS X
·     Leverages Mac OS X and the MUSCLE smart card framework to extend the security of the entire platform
·     User GUI complies with Apple Human Interface Guidelines

ActivCard Gold for Solaris
·     Commercial-off-the-shelf solution for Solaris that supports secure smart card-based PKI login with automatic CRL and OSCP checking for PKI login certificates

·     Utilises the native smart card support and smart card readers built into the currently shipping Sun workstations as standard features

·     First GCS-IS compliant smart card client solution for Solaris to support a smart card reader with a USB or Serial connection

For the first time, organisations can now secure their systems running all major operating systems using ActivCard enterprise client software for smart card-based authentication, digital signature and encryption solutions that address the reality of today's mixed computing environments. For more information on ActivCard Gold for Windows and now ActivCard Gold for Linux, and ActivCard Gold for Mac OS X, and ActivCard Gold for Solaris, call +1-800-529-9499 or +1-510-574-0100 or in the UK +44 (0) 1784 898 072.

ActivCard is a registered trademark and ActivCard Gold, ActivCard Identity Management System, 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.

CONTACTS:

UK Press Enquiries & for Telephone Interviews:

Tony Bovill, Consort PR, Tel: 01344 626171, e-mail: tony@consortpr.co.uk web: www.consortpr.co.uk(where this release and backgrounder are available).
        
ActivCard Corporate         ActivCard UK    
Julie White                         Simon Wakely    
Tel: +1 (510) 574 1708         Tel: 01784 898 072
Jwhite@activcard.com         swakely@activcard.com