Novell and ActivCard have announced plans for the first strong authentication network security solution that integrates ActivCard`s smart card technology with the network management and security advantages of Novell Directory Services (NDS) and Novell`s high-performance Internet security management suite, BorderManager Enterprise Edition 3.
This directory-enabled solution uses NDS to manage user access to network-based information and resources via ActivCard`s integrated Corporate Wallet services, including convenient smart cards or token devices used to establish the identity of users. Now available for open beta testing, the ActivCard/Novell solution is the latest among hundreds of offerings from Novell and third parties that utilize NDS to manage the complexity of today`s networks.
The in-depth security provided by strong authentication is crucial for companies facing the dual challenge of managing private data and extending their networks and applications to the World Wide Web. In order to ensure that company information is not accessed and altered by unauthorized parties, businesses are increasingly turning to smart cards and token devices to manage secure passwords and identify users.
According to the December 1997 UBS Securities report on Internet-based Electronic Commerce, the smart card market will expand to US$6.1-billion (about R36-billion) by the year 2000, producing compound annual growth of 58 percent. In the United States alone, the compound annual growth rate is 116 percent.
"Through this partnership with ActivCard, Novell continues to demonstrate momentum for directory- enabled applications and NDS," commented Novell corporate business strategist Stafford Masie. "NDS offers a single mechanism to manage the secure authentication of all users on a network whether those users are local or are accessing the network remotely through an Internet Service Provider. With directory-enabled solutions such as the BorderManager product family, organisations of every size can confidently extend their networks and applications to remote locations and users, including customers and partners."
"Dedicated authentication servers are now legacy," said Tom Arthur, president of ActivCard. "The integration of Corporate Wallet services as a feature of BorderManager Enterprise Edition 3 is a major leap forward in delivering on the promise of directory-enabled networks."
Over 800 000 people currently use ActivCard products worldwide to do secure Internet banking, Web access and secure remote access to corporate networks. The strong authentication services that ActivCard`s technology delivers will increase the demand for embedded support of multi-application smart card solutions.
ActivCard`s Corporate Wallet services are embedded in the BorderManager Enterprise Edition 3 suite, specifically in BorderManager Authentication Services 3. Corporate Wallet services allow administrators to distribute, manage and control a variety of corporate credentials -- including static passwords, dynamic passwords, digital certificates and private keys -- in order to authenticate users.
With these advanced services, network administrators do not have to issue new passwords, establish multiple security checkpoints and add on additional server security components. Users can securely access multiple services through simple "two-factor authentication": something the user has -- a token or smart card -- and something the user knows -- a PIN. Novell BorderManager Enterprise Edition 3 is a high-performance Internet security management suite for businesses that use the power of NDS. It is the easiest way to seamlessly deploy firewall, virtual private networking, caching and authentication services within a corporate network.
Because BorderManager Enterprise Edition 3 is integrated with NDS, the entire suite of services can be managed from a single, centralized administration console. ActivCard authentication has been tightly integrated into BorderManager Authentication Services 3, which is available as a standalone solution or as part of the larger Enterprise Edition suite.
To evaluate the ActivCard integration, customers can download the BorderManager Authentication Services 3 Beta Enhancement Pack. To download, please visit http://support.novell.com/beta/public. To obtain ActivCard tokens, please visit http://www.activcard.com/products/BMAS-ActivCard/index.html.
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