Contactless Smart Cards: Not Just Access Control |

Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, BY ROBERT M. FEE

Here is the challenge: Establishing a multi-application capability while allowing for easy integration during ongoing operations, flexibility and scalability for continual upgrades, security against tampering through verifiable copy protection, and independence from system providers. And, let's not forget ease-of-use and maintenance. Now that's a challenge for smart cards!

We all hear the hype about multiple applications. But you may ask who wants to be an early adopter? Well, it's not too early anymore. Thousands of companies around the world have implemented an all-in-one contactless smart card credential program. They have been reaping the benefits of increased security, ease-of-use, reducing or managing costs and providing their employees and guests with a way to get things done faster and easier all without breaking the bank.

The chart shows just a few time-tested examples of how some very different organizations are all applying 13.56 MHz contactless technology for various and multiple applications. Their one common smart card denominator is that it all started with access control.

What made them move to a single smart card platform?

• To establish a modern authorization management system for both security and non-security applications.

• To simplify implementation, to reduce maintenance and to support costs for legacy magnetic stripe and/or 125K Prox systems.

• Easy phase-in of additional applications such as biometrics corporate wide or department-by-department.

• Independence to select credentials and readers from any provider of choice.

• Network in a card. The credential can be used as a secure portable data device to communicate to off-line systems, updating access rights and eliminating privileges.

• Return-on-investment. Contactless smart cards spread costs over the entire organization and lower the costs to each department.

A common feature all of the organizations is that the single platform, contactless credential is the secure portable data file. It securely carries the key information the application will use to make decisions from access control to office automation. Another key factor in the choice for single platform, contactless credentials was their legacy technologies, such as 125K prox or magnetic stripe, were not a good choice for new systems being installed since they have been demonstrated to be easily compromised.

In addition, their earlier magnetic stripe cards required regular replacement. For Volkswagen AG, the cost of issuing new IDs every two years began to add up. With more than 100,000 employees and spending at least four minutes making each ID for each employee, Volkswagen spent approximately 6,670 hours of purely internal work time just toward the replacement of employee ID cards.

Additional Benefits realized by these organizations included:

• Multi-functionality. The ability to store and run multiple applications provided by independent vendors.

• Built-in Security. Features including mutual-authentication, encryption, data firewalls and, depending on platform providers, end-to-end data protection.

• Read/write on the fly. The flexibility to write to the card, update files and delete files, all while the card is in use.

• Memory. Typically ranging from 256 to 4,000 bytes versus 125K Prox that has up to 256 bytes.

- Application Security

Each application is fully independent from every other application and each one has its own unique “key.”

So, while contactless smart card solutions can initially cost more than swipe cards or 125K Prox, this cost is more than offset by an evolutionary change in corporate flexibility and scalability.

And as more corporate leaders look to exploit the benefits of “all-in-one-card” multi-application technology combining access control and other service applications such as time-and-attendance, employee identification, cashless payment and parking services onto a single card - the additional security advantages and cost efficiencies offered by a low-maintenance contactless smart card system may prove to be hard to beat. The thing to keep in mind is that it's more than an investment in security; it's an investment in your organization that will have positive gains for years to come.

---

ROBERT M. FEE is the general manager of LEGIC Identsystems' Americas Business Unit. Fee has been active on a variety of trade associations including the Smart Card Alliance, CompTIA, IACLEA and IAHSS.

Smart Card Early Adopters

ORGANIZATION	# OF READERS	# OF CREDENTIALS	# OF APPS.	KEY APPLICATIONS
Allgau Walser Tourist Card	1,200	300,000	6	AC, Ski Tickets, Public Transportation, e-Payment, Lockers
BMW	1,800	265,000	12	AC, T&A, PDA, Office Automation, Gas Pumps
Bank of China	550	18,000	5	AC, T&A, Parking, e-Payment, Office Automation
PricewaterhouseCoopers	400	1,200	6	AC, Biometric, Vending, Cafeteria, Secure Printing
Tsinghau University, China	2,200	100,000	7	AC, Vending, Laundry, Student Voting, Computer Labs, Clinic
Volkswagen AG	4,500	200,000	4	AC, T&A, Vending, e-Payment

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

This month in Access Control

• Opening Up About Door Closers
• An Enterprise Approach
• The Framework For Open Systems
• On A Higher Plane
• More from April's issue