RSA Security has announced a strategic relationship with SchlumbergerSema, a global information technology services company and a leading provider of smart card-based solutions, to integrate SchlumbergerSema smart cards into RSA Security's product solutions.
SchlumbergerSema technology-leading smart cards are now part of the RSA SecurID strong authentication solution, providing customers with security, flexibility and control. Integrating smart cards within the RSA SecurID product line enables customers to integrate multiple applications onto one platform, including the ability to provide system access, corporate IDs and building access.
Multi-application smart cards empower employees with access to protected data resources by offering enhanced security and mobility for their digital credentials and providing a single sign-on procedure to facilitate usability.
They also consolidate multiple applications - user authentication, digital credential storage, building access and corporate ID badging - onto one device, which helps to ease deployment, provide stronger ROI and reduce administrative burdens for enterprises worldwide. The strategic relationship between RSA Security and SchlumbergerSema enables the integration of securely authenticated users to assist in streamlining business processes to reduce fraud and administration costs across a wide range of industry sectors.
"Securely integrating several applications onto one platform is one of the most promising functions of the smart card," said Paul Beverly, vice president, Cards and eTransactions, North America, SchlumbergerSema.
"With RSA Security's established market position in two-factor authentication and e-business security and SchlumbergerSema leadership in providing secure smart card-based solutions, our strategic relationship is a win-win situation. The RSA Security and SchlumbergerSema solution helps protect valuable enterprise network resources, providing strong assurance that only authorised users can access corporate e-mail, intranets, extranets and other critical online resources."
Beverly noted that drawing on more than 20 years experience in pioneering smart card innovation and leadership in Java technology, SchlumbergerSema has sold more than 2.5 billion smart cards to date, including over 500 million cards in 2001 alone.
The RSA SecurID system is the world's leading two-factor user authentication solution, relied upon by thousands of organisations worldwide to protect valuable network resources. More than 12 million people around the world use RSA SecurID authenticators to securely access VPN and Remote Access applications, Web servers, network operating systems and wireless networks. By working with companies like SchlumbergerSema, RSA Security is uniquely positioned to help customers deploy multi-application smart cards for their trusted e-business process and distribute the total cost of ownership (TCO) over time and several applications.
"We believe this relationship brings together complementary security expertise and technologies that provide our customers with multi-application smart cards to reduce losses and liability, lower administrative costs and increase user convenience," said John Worrall, vice president of product marketing at RSA Security.