Oberthur Technologies Introduces the First GICS Card Integrated with Microsoft Windows 7


PARIS, April 20 -- Oberthur Technologies, a global leader in the delivery of high security solutions to the ID market, delivers the first prototypes of the GICS[1] card compatible with Microsoft Windows 7.

ID-One(TM) GICS, an identity applet, has been developed to answer the needs for a generic card command set that provides functionalities required by both Government and Corporate applications. Backward compatible with PIV[2], this product offers a flexible data management, enhanced cryptographic protocols fully compliant with NIST[3] recommendations, and is based on the standardization work done under ANSI[4] INCITS[5]. Thanks to its flexibility and interoperability GICS can be easily deployed by all integrators and security application providers. ID-One GICS card is designed to be integrated into any card management system and offers a logical and physical access control. This card is available for any governmental identity or corporate applications.

ID-One GICS will soon be certified FIPS 140-2 level 3, level which is required by the U.S. Federal Government.

Oberthur Technologies and Microsoft worked closely together through the latest specification to define a mini driver. Microsoft's' minidriver is a plug in translating each smartcards' features to a unique interface designed by Microsoft for Windows 7. Minidriver v7 offers new functionalities such as automatic smartcard recognition and the use of the latest NSA-recommended cryptographic algorithms (eg: AES[6] & elliptic curves). This allows users transparent access to the latest security and cryptographic technologies.

"As Identity Division's Deputy Managing Director, I am proud of Oberthur Technologies' contribution for the specification of the new standard GICS and the development of this card," comments Xavier Fricout.

"I am convinced that the work realized together with Microsoft will allow the adoption of this solution by a large number of governments and companies for their physical and logical security projects."

Come see the ID-One GICS card at the RSA Conference- Microsoft booth # 1517 or Oberthur Technologies booth #611.

About Oberthur Technologies

With sales of 882.7 million Euros in 2008, Oberthur Technologies is a world leader in the field of secure technologies. Innovation and high quality services ensure Oberthur Technologies' strong positioning in its main target markets:

- Card Systems: One of the world's leading providers of security and identification based on smart card technology and associated services for mobile, payment, transport, digital TV and convergence markets.

- Identity: International player for the manufacture and personalization of secure identity documents such as passport, identity card, driving license or health care card - traditional and electronic - and associated services for both governmental and corporate markets.

- Fiduciary printing: World's third largest private security printer specialized in high security for the production of banknotes, checks and other fiduciary documents in more than fifty countries.

- Cash protection: World leader in the emerging market of intelligent systems to secure cash-in-transit and ATM.

Close to its customers, Oberthur Technologies benefits from an industrial and commercial presence across all five continents.

Oberthur Technologies S.A. is a limited liability company (societe anonyme) registered in France with its registered office at 102 BD Malesherbes 75017 Paris, France. Oberthur Technologies S.A.'s corporate registration number is 340 709 534 R.C.S. Paris.

Website: www.oberthur.com

[1] GICS : Generic ID Card Command Set

[2] PIV: Personal Identification Verification

[3] NIST : National Institute of Standards and Technology

[4] ANSI: American National Standards Institute

[5] INCITS: InterNational Committee for Information Technology Standards

[6] AES : Advanced Encryption Standard

Contact : Sara DEPAGNEUX, Telephone number : + 33-1-55-46-71-34, E-mail : s.depagneux@oberthur.com

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