Access Control
& Security Systems

Four security providers have formed the Open Security Exchange, a collaboration to provide vendor-neutral specifications for integrating the management of security devices and policies. By promoting more effective exchange of enterprise-wide security data, the Open Security Exchange will enable organizations to significantly reduce exposure to threats and total operation costs.

Initially, the Open Security Exchange will focus on the integration of physical and IT security technologies. Lack of such assimilation is a glaring example of how security management remains fragmented at most organizations today.

Founding members of the Open Security Exchange are: Computer Associates, Islandia, N.Y.; Gemplus, Luxembourg; HID Corp., Irvine, Calif.; and TYCO Software House, Lexington, Mass.

The Open Security Exchange's initial specifications for physical and IT security management convergence (available at opensecurityexchange.com (http://opensecurityexchange.com )) provide technical integration on three levels:

• Common administration of users, privileges and credentials;
• Common strong authentication for access to physical facilities and cyber systems through the use of dual-purpose credentials; and
• Common point of security management and event auditability.

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