IDpendant press release
Higher Security, yet Lower Costs with the Employee ID of the Future
08. August 2008
ESG relies on a trail-blazing employee ID solution developed by IDpendant
Unterschleißheim – Fürstenfeldbruck / Munich – In view of the construction of ESG's new headquarters, André Koloska played one card and scored a great success. In collaboration with IDpendant GmbH, a company headquartered in Munich, the IT security manager at ESG Elektronik- und Logistik-GmbH succeeded in implementing a system that combines both physical access including work time recording and logical system to IT systems – a worldwide first in the industry. The system sets new standards for security and user friendliness. One particularly remarkable fact is that employees working in ID issuing can continue to use the Interflex interface they are used to. However, in the background, the system offers extended and fully automated functionalities for the use of a PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) with certificates, allowing the management of logical access.
"On the occasion of our relocation to the new headquarters in Fürstenfeldbruck, it was obvious that we wanted nothing but the very best solution available on the market. These days, data is often much more important than material goods and that is why the security of our IT systems tops our priority list," explains André Koloska. Mr. Koloska's concern about the highest possible security levels is hardly surprising, considering that ESG, as a leading systems and software manufacturer, develops customized avionics and IT systems for clients in the aeronautical and automotive industries.
ESG's specifications were met with pinpoint accuracy: security experts at IDpendant (www.idpendant.com) implemented its card management solution, a worldwide innovation. One single chip card – the new multifunctional employee ID – is needed to use the company's RFID-based access and work time recording system, to safely access computers and applications as well as to use electronic signatures and data and message encryption.
This solution ultimately provides a considerable increase in IT security through two-factor authentication, which requires users to both own the card and know the PIN code. Another benefit is a higher level of user friendliness. "Other than one single personal PIN code used for all systems in the company, employees at ESG no longer have to remember any passwords," says Mr. Koloska, visibly impressed about this development. The card management solution developed by IDpendant is based on BlueX and makes the central management of all corporate digital identities throughout their entire life cycle a simple and straightforward process.
All processes can be managed using the BlueX system during the cards' entire useful life, running the gamut from card production to card personalization, including enabling and disabling cards, to issuing visitor and replacement cards. "Another plus is that no additional employees need to be hired to operate the system and that all employees can start working with the new system immediately. No costly training is required," says Klaus Schoeneck, Director of Sales at IDpendant, about the solution's financial advantages. In the near future, the system will even support the tried-and-true single sign on function for Lotus Notes and SAP.
About IDpendant GmbH
IDpendant is an expert for IT security solutions, USB tokens and chip cards. Headquartered in Unterschleissheim near Munich, the company is independent of all manufacturers and offers a wide range of services, including authentication technology, IT security products, card management systems and solutions for Identity & Access Management (IAM). IDpendant is part of the Swiss Trüb Corporation – a multinational expert for debit, credit, identity and loyalty cards.