Authentication
Security Features
In large data networks today it is no longer sufficient to permit access on the basis of a simple user name and password. The problems increase if users with multiple passwords have to work at the same time. Really good passwords are hard to remember. Simple passwords are selected in consequence, this means they must be noted down somewhere. In either case this means easier work for hackers. Processes are required that provide strong authentication for all network participants on one hand, and that provide controlled access to the network and all its resources with a single password on the other.
The state of the art solution involves smart cards. Among other things the card contains a certificate as well as the private key for message sender e.g. creator verification or in other words, his authentication (digital signature) Smartcards, or chipcards, offer the advantage that they cannot be simply read or copied as can diskettes or other data media. They encapsulate secret data in their internal memory and communicate with a computer only on the basis of certain defined commands. All security relevant operations are completely processed inside the card. i.e. outside of the PC.
Smartcards will dominate all alternative methods for encryption and authentication such as passwords, tokens, etc. All security relevant data for the different applications can reside on the smartcard. In addition it offers all the technical pre-requisites for Single-Sign-On. This is important for multi-functional corporate applications like controlled entry and company internal accounting functions (lunch room, or company store etc.).