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Gemplus’ SECCOS Smart Card is First to Comply with German Electronic Signature LawHerne, Germany - 15 January 2003 Gemplus is the first to supply a ZKA-certified and German electronic signature law-compliant smart card based on its new SECCOS Operating System. The evaluation authority of the TÜV Informationstechnik GmbH completed the technical security evaluation of the operating system. The Common Criteria Certificate and the signature law compliancy approval were awarded to Gemplus by the certification authority of TÜVIT during the Omnicard 2003 congress, which took place last week in Berlin. Responsible authorities from German financial institutions decided to issue debit cards with Seccos card-based Maestro Applications within the year, allowing for the replacement of the present Type 1 card to begin Fall 2003. The legally qualified electronic signature is the most significant feature of the SECCOS operating system, paving the way for legally-binding, secure and convenient electronic business via open networks without time-consuming authorization processes and registration using various electronic forms. The digital exchange of documents, non-repudiation of decisions and secure electronic transactions are mandatory for secure and reliable E-Business and E-Government. “Security is an important factor for new multi-application bankcards, as the cardholder will expect high reliability, fast encryption and secure data storage and administration,” says Dr. Juergen Kutruff, general manager of the business unit Security and Secure Mobile Communications, Infineon Technologies. “Smart cards equipped with a Common Criteria-certified Infineon Chips will put this high-level of security directly into the cardholder’s hands. The private keys can be generated on the card itself, therefore preventing the highly-sensitive information on the keys to leave the card, which is a definite security advantage for digital signature applications where the keys have to remain secure.” The SECCOS smart card is the ideal platform for the move towards multifunctional smart cards. Apart from the electronic signature application, a SECCOS-based smart card is used primarily for financial transactions. Therefore, all functions and applications of the GeldKarte, which is already used by millions of people, will remain available. In addition, SECCOS supports home banking in accordance with the HBCI (Home Banking Computer Interface) Standard and international debit transactions, i.e. the direct withdrawal of money from the customer’s bank account. SECCOS also supports EMV specifications that were developed and enforced by the major credit card organisations, such as Europay, MasterCard and VISA. “SECCOS as a software platform will pave the way towards future multifunctional bankcards,” says Uwe Demsky, Sales Director of Gemplus GmbH. “The combination of payment and qualified electronic signature applications will allow secure and convenient E-Business and E-Government to become a reality. Additional applications, such as electronic ticketing or loyalty applications for retail underline the limitless possibilities of the smart card.” About Gemplus GEMPLUS: the world's leading provider of smart card solutions 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. In 2001, Gemplus was the worldwide smart card leader in both revenues and total smart card shipments (source: Gartner-Dataquest and Frost & Sullivan). Gemplus was also awarded Frost & Sullivan's 2002 Market Value Award for its exceptional performance. 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 2001 was 1 billion Euros. Gemplus: Beyond Smart www.gemplus.com Press Contact: ©2003 Gemplus All rights reserved. Gemplus, the Gemplus logo and GemSense 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. |