HID drives secure mobility

By Alex Kayle, Senior portals journalist

Johannesburg, 01 Jun 2009

HID Global, headquartered in the US, used last week's ITWeb Security Summit as a platform to drive its identity access management solution, called 'HID on the Desktop', into the African region.

John Lakin, Africa regional sales director for HID Global, said the company has partnered with EMS to bring the solution to the African market.

“This is the first time that HID has come to market with a complete solution. We are continuing to deal via a distribution network. Our distributors must have completed a certified training course in order to sell the solution,” said Larkin.

The product consists of three components: an HID security card, Omnikey card reader, and NaviGo software.

All-round access

Volker Kunz, director of business development for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, believes password management costs are increasing and compliance regulations such as Sarbanes and Oxley are getting stricter. Kunz pointed out that businesses cannot rely on a single user ID and password to protect a company's most vital asset - information.

“We've found that the majority of users want a single credential supporting physical and logical access control requirements. The very same card that used to open doors is now also capable of opening Windows [the program]. It replaces the standard Windows authentication with a strong authentic interface based on HID cards,” said Kunz.

The converged solution comprises of Omnikey card readers which plug into the USB drive of a laptop or PC. The card readers are compatible with three types of security cards: Prox, iClass and Crescendo. According to the company, the hardware and software is easy to install and requires minimal IT support.

Kunz pointed out that the same card can be programmed to access a PC, laptop, printer or fax, as well as to gain access to the office building, or even to pay off an account at the local canteen. This enforces a policy where users keep the access card on them at all times. The computer is locked when the access card is removed.

He added: “Some of the benefits include no shared logon passwords and a reduced risk of attacks through Trojans and key loggers. It addresses a large untapped market of small and medium-sized enterprises who seek such a solution. A company with 50 users will find it easy to use. There's low total cost of ownership, especially in these times with tighter budgets.”

User-friendly

The software solution, called NaviGo, is a Web-based software-as-service portal which is used to configure card and PIN management, centralise security policies and administer accessibility rights to employees. The software is compatible with Windows or Linux.

Pal Ragnarsson, solutions architect for HID Global, said: “It's about making it idiot-proof and forcing the user to keep the card on them the whole time to access the computer but also to gain access to the building. If you leave the card in the machine and walk away, it leaves the computer vulnerable to be tampered with.”

The software is free of charge; businesses pay for the hardware and for the licences per card. Companies can expect to pay around $60 (R480) per user for the reader and the card.