Gemplus' 64k Java Card(TM) Technology Achieves Security Criteria Beyond The
Legal Requirements for Digital ID
- First Java Card(TM) Technology to Conform With Official European and US
Government Standards and Achieve the Highest Level of Security
Available on the Market (Common Criteria EAL5+)
- Building Trust in e-Commerce for Today's Consumers
- Consumer Trust in Secure Transactions Will Boost Service Revenues In
Both Wired and Wireless Domains
SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RSA Data Security 2002
-- Gemplus (Nasdaq: GEMP), the world's number one provider of solutions
empowered by smart cards, today announced that its Java Card(TM) technology-
based GemXplore `Xpresso, is the first to be certified Evaluation Assurance
Level (EAL)5+ by the Common Criteria security standards body. This far exceeds
current legal requirements. Common Criteria is rapidly becoming standard
security for sensitive data; European digital signature laws currently require
EAL4, while following September 11, the US National Security Agency and NIST
(National Institute of Standards and Technology) are considering basing their
security specifications around Common Criteria.
By being awarded this exclusive level of smart card security, Gemplus has
once again proven its technology leadership use of Java Card technology for
smart cards. This major technological step will open new possibilities for
trusted services in areas such as banking, government ID and e-commerce from
both wireless and wired devices.
From a Secure Mobile Experience ...
The SIM is already the preferred platform for many mobile commerce
services, such as banking, betting, stock brokering and billing. Now that
GemXplore `Xpresso has achieved this unprecedented security certification it
will become a key enabler for the growth of trusted services.
Mobile operators have long understood the SIM's key role in securing their
subscribers' mobile experience, ensuring that private data, such as bank
account details, never fall into the wrong hands. As the wireless application
market starts to take on a more open, Internet-like look, operators look
towards proven security standards. This will become increasingly important in
a 3G environment where digital rights, such as music copyright, need to be
managed.
"We are currently developing a mobile banking service with Banksys for the
Belgian Market," states Martin Willems, Technical Security Manager at
Mobistar, Belgium. "When Gemplus told us that their SIM would reach common
criteria we had increased confidence that their products would provide the
level of security required for protecting financial details. GemXplore
`Xpresso will give our customers the required level of trust in our services."
"This certification reconfirms the importance of Java Card technology for
security and privacy protection. Java technology has been a major enabler for
the end-to-end delivery of secure service solutions," said Rich Green, Vice
President Java Technologies, Sun Microsystems. "We are pleased with Gemplus'
continued commitment to our Java Card platform and their achievement as one of
the first smart card companies to offer this level of security certification
to the market. This will pave the way for even more customers to take
advantage of open and secure data services."
With secure applet download, services such as mobile banking can be
delivered safely to the end users' mobile phone whenever the operator or
subscriber wants. Once the customer subscribes to a particular service, the
operator needs to be assured that it is stored securely and doesn't interfere
with their subscriber's data or applications. EAL5+ ensures that appropriate
firewalls and download infrastructure are in place.
Subscribers worldwide will see the benefits as GemXplore `Xpresso exists
for GSM, CDMA and 3G.
... To Identity Services
Gemplus' government and military smart card, GemXpresso Pro 64k, is also
based on Java Card technology and has the same security level as GemXplore
`Xpresso, providing the level of security appropriate for governments and
military organizations in Europe and the United States.
Throughout a nation, state or city, a government's various departments and
agency offices need a rapid, secure and efficient way in order to not only
identify citizens and their rights, but also to offer relevant services and
benefits. As a highly secure portable identification and communication
medium, solutions incorporating GemXpresso Pro 64K are optimal for providing
both reliable, physical and logical identification of individuals, while
securing the privacy and integrity of electronic transactions.
Note to Editors
*What is Common Criteria?
Common Criteria is an international certification that evaluates the
security of IT products. It originated in the European, US and Canadian
banking sectors. It has recently been adopted as an ISO standard (ISO/ISEC
15408). EAL represents the level of confidence of an IT security product or
system evaluated by Common Criteria.
It should be noted that certain of the statements contained in this
release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of
section 27a of the securities act of 1933 and section 21e of the securities
exchange act of 1934. These statements relate to future events or our future
financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and
other factors including without limitation customer demand for our products,
supply of key components, developments in the market and advances in
technology that may cause our or our industry's actual results, levels of
activity, or performance to materially differ from those expressed or implied
by such forward-looking statements. For a more detailed description of these
factors, please see Gemplus' most recent filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. These statements reflect management's current
expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only
as of the date of this release. We are under no duty to update or revise any
of the forward-looking statements after this date or to confirm such
statements to actual results or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated
results.
GEMPLUS: the world's number one provider of solutions empowered by Smart
Cards.
Gemplus helps its clients offer an exceptional range of portable,
personalized solutions that bring security and convenience to people's lives.
These include mobile Internet access, inter-operable banking facilities,
e-commerce and a wealth of other applications. Gemplus is the only completely
dedicated, truly global player in the Smart Card industry, with the largest
R&D team, unrivalled experience, and an outstanding track record of
technological innovation. Gemplus trades its shares on Euronext Paris S.A.
First Market and on the Nasdaq Stock Market as GEMP in the form of ADSs. Its
revenue in 2000 was 1.205 Billion Euros. It employs 6721 people in
37 countries throughout the world.
Gemplus: Beyond Smart http://www.gemplus.com
All rights reserved. Gemplus, the Gemplus logo, GemXpresso and GemXplore
are trademarks and service marks of Gemplus S.A. and are registered in certain
countries. All other trademarks and service marks, whether registered or not
in specific countries, are the property of their respective owners. Sun, Java
and Java Card are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems,
Inc. in the United States and other countries.
SOURCE Gemplus
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.gemplus.com
CONTACT:
Marielle Bricman, Global Press Relations
Manager of Gemplus, +33 (0)4 42 36 55 96, or
marielle.bricman@gemplus.com; Alicia Jones, North America Account
Manager of Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, +1-323-202-1047,
or alicia.jones@edelman.com, for Gemplus; or Russell Castronovo,
Public Relations of Sun Microsystems, +1-408-276-6039, or
Russ.castronovo@sun.com
|
