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Physical, logical security set to converge at ITWeb Security Summit 2008


Midrand, 07 May 2008

SuperVision Biometric Systems, the South African biometric authentication specialist, has launched SureSign, Africa's first locally developed and supported converged physical and logical access security solution.

The solution will be demonstrated on the SecureData stand at ITWeb Security Summit 2008, to be held at Vodaworld in Midrand from 7 to 8 May.

Designed to help businesses enhance the value of their existing security investments, SureSign offers a single, holistic, user-friendly platform which allows organisations to engage physical and logical security departments, enforce security policies through a single view on permissions and activities, enable swift creation, modification and removal of user profiles, enhance compliance with data protection and adhere to statutory requirements.

Despite their common goal, physical and logical access control have traditionally been handled by different departments.

According to James Redelinghuys, director of SuperVision Biometric Systems, physical access technologies, such as building security systems, are typically managed by corporate security departments, while logical access control - which includes managing logon and application passwords - falls into the IT department's remit.

"Combining and interpreting data from these distinct security portfolios has been all but impossible for South African organisations," says Redelinghuys.

"SureSign integrates physical and logical security, delivering a single view on employee rights and credentials and empowering organisations to implement a centralised uniform policy across building, network and application access control," he concludes.

By combining logical and physical access, SureSign can enhance organisational security in the following ways:

Zoning

SureSign's zoning policies link an individual's network login to their physical access rights.

If they have not entered a building through a designated access point, they will not be able to logon to their PC or applications. Conversely, if they have not logged off, they will not be able to exit the facility.

This principle can be extended to link various access zones - for example, if an individual has not accessed the building through the main entrance lobby, they will not be permitted access to their floor; similarly, if they have not logged onto their PC, they will not be granted access to restricted applications.

Immediate right removal

By integrating physical and logical access rights in a single consol, SureSign allows administrators to immediately revoke staff rights, thus preventing former employees from gaining access to a building or confidential company information.

Secure single authentication

SureSign offers the option of biometric authentication, using staff fingerprint templates to validate identities. By removing the need for cards and manually typed passwords, SureSign strengthens enterprise security policies. Cards or other access tokens will no longer be left at home, get damaged or fall into the wrong hands. And as employees no longer need to know passwords, the risk of credential swapping or post-it-notes with login details being stuck to PC monitors is all but eliminated.

SureSign was developed in a collaborative venture between SuperVision Biometric Systems and Cape Town-based software developer Sybu Data.

For further information, visit www.supervision.co.za or www.sybudata.co.za, or please contact James Redelinghuys on 083 265 2233.

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SuperVision

SuperVision Biometric Systems (Pty) Ltd specialises in the development of biometric authentication solutions including applications for physical access control, logical access control and time and attendance. These can be used independently or combined to leverage the full benefit of an integrated approach to managing identity.

The company has offices in Pretoria and Cape Town, and its solutions are installed on over 1 000 sites around Africa.

As an emerging Technology Top 100 company, SuperVision is recognised by the Department of Science and Technology as being one of the most innovative developers and users of technology in South Africa.

SecureData

SecureData is a specialist, value-added distributor of perimeter, application, network, endpoint, storage and identity information security solutions and risk management solutions for the African sub-continent and Indian Ocean islands. A cross-section of the available solutions from SecureData illustrates wide coverage of the following information security and risk management domains: business continuity, security appliances and devices, hardware authentication, identity and access management, security and vulnerability management, secure content management, threat management and security services. SecureData's information security and risk management solutions include best-of-breed solutions, devices and appliances for the perimeter, data centres, applications, network, endpoints, messaging and Web. In addition, as a value-add to vendor, channel and customer, SecureData also provides a full complement of support, pre-sales and professional services around the solutions positioned in each discrete security vertical.

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