HID, Dell Take A Logical Step To Convergence

Sep 23, 2008 3:45 PM

HID Global, a provider of systems for the delivery of secure identity, is expanding its position within the access control space to include logical access control products and solutions for converged security environments. By collaborating with IT industry leaders, the company offers a portfolio of logical access offerings to meet market requirements, enabling physical access control integrators to use HID technology to provide complementary logical access solutions.

“Since establishing our relationship with Microsoft around Crescendo and its support for Identity Lifecycle Manager 2007, HID Global has provided the industry solutions for the convergence of physical and information security, enabled by an access control card,” says Denis Hébert, president and CEO of HID Global.

As a further extension of HID’s reach in the IT space, the company's iCLASS contactless smart cards are read by the embedded contactless smart card reader in select models of new Dell Latitude E-Family laptops. Organizations can now use a single HID iCLASS card for both physical building access and secure authentication to PCs.

When using an iCLASS card, laptop users will be able to take advantage of the Dell pre-boot authentication functionality that helps to secure the data on the laptop. When first turning the laptop on, a user will present an iCLASS card to the contactless smart card reader located in the palm rest of the laptop. A valid card presentation will allow the laptop to boot up and take the user to the Windows operating system.

In the future, users will be able to experience secure, two-factor authentication to the laptop. Users will have the ability to present their card and a PIN to securely authenticate to either Windows XP or Windows Vista. This conforms to Microsoft’s strategic direction to deploy smart cards for secure authentication.

“Having HID technology seamlessly integrated into a mainstream PC platform is good news,” Hébert says. “It is this type of development that provides customers with convenient and cost-effective options to secure PCs and the associated data.”

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