a.trust Relies on SCM Microsystems Smart Card Readers
April 11 2005 - 3:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
a.trust Relies on SCM Microsystems Smart Card Readers SCM Supplies
Readers for Digital Signature/e-Government Applications on Austrian
Maestro Debit Cards FREMONT, Calif., April 11
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SCM Microsystems, Inc.
(NASDAQ:SCMMNASDAQ:PrimeNASDAQ:Standard:NASDAQ:SMY) a leading
provider of solutions that open the Digital World, today announced
that it has been named as a selected partner of a.trust, an
accredited trust center in Austria that issues smart card-based
certificates for secure electronic data transactions. SCM will
supply a.trust with smart card readers that enable the use of
digital signatures on the new Maestro(R) debit card, currently
being rolled out in Austria. By the end of 2005, about 200,000
Maestro debit cards with digital signature capabilities are
expected to be activated and used. This number is predicted to grow
to 800,000 cards by the end of 2007. The digital signature on the
new Maestro card must be activated by means of a smart card reader
that is connected to the Internet through a PC. In order to build
the corresponding infrastructure for the cards, the Austrian
Ministry of Finance and Europay Austria are subsidizing deployment
of the first 200,000 smart card readers, which will be available
through select distributors throughout Austria. a.trust, which also
is providing its digital signature application "a.sign premium" for
the Maestro card, is responsible for selecting reader suppliers for
the Maestro debit card program. "We chose SCM Microsystems as a
partner because their smart card readers are very efficient and
powerful and in particular are perfectly suited for home banking
and digital signature applications," said Ing. Johann W.
Summerauer, Customer Care Management at a.trust. "The devices
ensure the highest level of security and through their flash-memory
technology allow field-upgrades for evolving smart card
applications." In addition to conventional debit card capabilities,
the new Austrian Maestro cards also support e-government
applications to enable legally binding transactions and digital
signatures for e-commerce and e-banking. The goal of the
e-government initiative is to provide easier access to government
services, to improve service by reducing handling times and to
increase the number of electronic commerce and secure transactions
over the Internet. SCM Microsystems is providing its SPR532 PIN-pad
reader for the program. The reader is compliant with all relevant
industry standards as well as the strict rules of the Austrian
signature law. To accommodate home users, the reader comes with a
dual interface cable that allows either USB or RS232 (serial
interface) connections. The reader offers long-term usability, as
upgrades to support new applications can be downloaded from the
Internet. About a-trust a.trust was founded in February 2000 by a
consortium of Austrian banks, chambers of commerce and industry as
an accredited Trust Center in Austria, issuing smart card-based
qualified certificates for Austrian citizens. a.trust's product
range comprises user certificates, developer certificates and
corporate certificates as well as consultation services and
support, with the development of e-commerce and signature
applications in accordance with the Directive 1999/93/EC. To date,
a.trust is the only company to offer a smart card that supports
e-government applications, for which, in 2003, a.trust received an
award from the Austrian Federal Government. About SCM Microsystems
SCM Microsystems is a leading supplier of solutions that open the
Digital World by enabling people to securely access digital content
and services. The company develops, markets and sells its smart
card reader technology for network and physical access and
conditional access modules for secure digital TV decryption to OEM
customers in the government, financial, enterprise and broadcasting
markets worldwide. Global headquarters are in Fremont, California,
with European headquarters in Ismaning, Germany. For additional
information, visit the SCM Microsystems web site at
http://www.scmmicro.com/. NOTE: All company and/or product names
are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
DATASOURCE: SCM Microsystems, Inc. CONTACT: Dr. Manfred Muller, +49
89 9595 5140, or , or Darby Dye, +1-510-360-2302, or , both of SCM
Microsystems, Inc. Web site: http://www.scmmicro.com/
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