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May, 29 2007

StarSign Successfully Completes Windows® Smart Card Framework Certification Program Pilot for Windows Vista

G&D, the world’s second largest smart card manufacturer, uses SafeSign Identity Client as part of G&D’s StarSign product range.

• StarSign smart cards meet the criteria for Microsoft’s pilot certification program for smart card minidrivers for Windows Vista
• Certification generates tremendous market potential for smart card-based authentication solutions from G&D

Munich, May 30, 2007 – International technology group Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) has become one of the first companies meeting the quality criteria of Microsoft’s Ireland-based Smart Card Certification Center for Windows Vista with its StarSign IT security solution products. Using smart cards from the StarSign family of products, PC users can securely authenticate themselves on networks and for IT applications. The compliance with Microsoft's certification requirements confirms that StarSign lives up to the quality standards set by Microsoft.
 
Microsoft’s Smart Card Certification Center has been working closely with early adopters of the Windows Smart Card Framework to develop a certification program that balances the needs of both Microsoft and IHVs. The result of this close cooperation will be a fully fledged certification program that will award "Designed for Windows" logos for card minidrivers and smart cards that meets the Windows Vista logo program requirements for smart card minidrivers. Microsoft’s Smart Card Certification Center is located in the Ireland based European Development Center.

“We are very pleased with G&D's successful participation in the pilot for Windows Smart Card Framework certification program." said David B. Cross, director of program management for Windows Security at Microsoft Corporation. "Our customers tell us that smart card technology is important in order to raise the level of security on Windows®. We believe that our investment in Windows Smart Card Framework will make the deployment and use of smart cards on Windows much easier and more cost effective than ever before".

G&D, the world’s second largest smart card manufacturer, and the Dutch company AET as a security software supplier, see themselves as first movers in the field thanks to its successful completion of the Windows Smart Card Framework certification program pilot. AET’s SafeSign Identity Client software is part of G&D’s StarSign product range. “All over the world, users of PCs running Windows® Vista can right now move safely through cyberspace using our products. The potential for StarSign smart cards and tokens to be used by everybody as their daily IT security tools is enormous,” comments Christian Hirschvogel, head of Partner Management at G&D.

StarSign products can be used in solutions calling for secure authentication, data encryption, and digital signatures, as well as single sign-on and hard disk encryption.

You can find the original press release here.

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