These are very nice enhancements! Automation of certificate enrollment is a MUST with large networks. One of the big disadvantages of a large PKI is the incredible angst involved with getting certificates issued to tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of users. Some Certificate Authorities are still set up to require that an administrator AUTHORIZE every certificate before it is issued. You can imagine the administrative burden this is, yet authorization of the cert request is a must. Automatic certificate issuance that is done securely is critical to the success of a large PKI deployment. Nice to see BALT has implemented it.
The support of automated smartcard personalization is a must also. Haven't looked at the details, but they've obviously integrated support for Fargo and/or Eltron smartcard printers/writers. This enables them to create smartcards via a batch mechanism as opposed to having to program and personalize each card one by one.
And it goes without saying, supporting a backend database will eliminate the necessity of a lot of date entry.
And now I'll stop talking techie. Here's the release...
Baltimore Technologies Announces New UniCERT Module to Enhance Digital Certificate Registration & Enrolment
Baltimore UniCERT Advanced Registration Module (ARM) enables simple integration with legacy, smartcard and security applications
DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 2, 1999-- Baltimore Technologies (Nasdaq:BALT - news; London:BLM), a global leader in e-commerce and enterprise security solutions, today announced a new digital certificate registration module for Baltimore UniCERT. UniCERT Advanced Registration Module (ARM), is designed to provide systems integrators, software vendors and Commercial Certificate Authorities (CAs) with a highly configurable yet easy to use system for integrating PKI systems with other applications.
UniCERT ARM offers unique features to automate the certificate registration process and remove the complexities of bulk user registration for Commercial CAs and large enterprise Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) systems. The ARM integrates with existing UniCERT modules such as UniCERT CA, RA and database modules. Features include:
-- User Pre-Authentication Systems - using pre-assigned PINs or
passwords to automate certificate enrollment
-- Provides a development interface that allows Smartcard Factories
and Smartcard Management Systems to be integrated
-- Data Enriching Certificate Requests - Enables the integration of
Enterprise backend systems such as human resource databases
''The widespread adoption of PKI technology has generated a huge demand for a system that can cope with a variety of registration scenarios including automated, integrated and high volume certificate issuance. UniCERT ARM was designed following extensive consultation with our customers and integration partners. Its flexible, easy to use architecture automates the registration process allowing organizations to personalize and brand the service and certificates,'' commented Helen Mullenger, UniCERT Product Manager at Baltimore Technologies.
UniCERT ARM reinforces Baltimore's commitment to develop the most advanced, open PKI solution available in the market today and delivers on Baltimore's promise of providing a flexible, scalable solution that can be easily customized to address the diverse requirements of today's demanding business environment.
''Baltimore's UniCERT ARM takes bulk user registration for digital certificate systems into the real world, where multiple existing business systems and procedures must lie revised,'' said Jim Hurley, Managing Director of Security at Aberdeen Group. ''ARM is well suited for integrating multiple credential systems, policies, and procedures into a seamless registration process for high volume, high demand environments.''
The core benefits of the new UniCERT Advanced Registration Module include:
-- Pre-authenticating Users
This function allows an organization to issue passwords and PIN
numbers to authenticate a closed user environment, for example, a
PKI system for company employees. Once employees are
authenticated by this means then digital certificates can
automatically be issued without going through the normal
registration procedures. UniCERT ARM offers a rich set of
functions to work with third party enrolment systems.
-- Support for Smartcard Factories and Smartcard Management Systems
A unique feature of UniCERT's new registration module is it
ability to integrate with Smartcard factories and smartcard
management systems. This integration will enable bulk
personalization, corporate branding and management of smartcards
and the associated cryptographic keys and digital certificates it
contains.
-- Data Enriching Certificate Requests
The ARM is an extensible registration system that allows PKI to
be fully integrated into an organization's database or workflow
system. The ability to source information from other databases
enables a superior level of registration and ensures that a
comprehensive record of an individual can be stored for
authentication. This feature also enables automatic registration
by using information already stored in databases such as human
resource files.
The following form the unique core components of UniCERT ARM:
-- Advanced Registration Kernel (ARK) , the engine of the
registration system
-- Default Programs that provide the core registration functions.
These include 'Read Request, Apply Policy, Key Generation,
Database Write, Save Request.
-- Developer Interface enables users to create optional programs
that are required for their unique registration policy. Examples
of these may include 'Verify request, Policy Determination, Data
Enrich Request, Key Encryption'.
Baltimore UniCERT has become one of the world's leading PKI systems used in the most demanding security environments including banking, government and e-commerce. UniCERT has been sold in over 40 countries worldwide and is marketed by Baltimore Technologies and its TrustedWorld Business and Technology Partners.
Baltimore UniCERT ARM is scheduled for release later this month. Full pricing information will be available on that date. UniCERT ARM is compatible with UniCERT V3.0.5 and higher.
About Baltimore Technologies
Baltimore Technologies develops and markets security products and services to enable companies to develop trusted, secure systems for e-business, e-commerce and the Internet. Its products include a wide range of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) systems, cryptographic toolkits, security applications and hardware cryptographic devices. Baltimore's global professional services organization offers a wide variety of consulting, training and deployment support to its customers worldwide. Baltimore Technologies markets and sells its solutions worldwide directly and through the TrustedWorld(TM) channel program. TrustedWorld includes many of the world's leading technology companies and a wide variety of global, regional and local business alliance partners.
Baltimore Technologies employs over 450 people worldwide and operates from over 20 cities with headquarters in Dublin, Ireland; London, UK; Boston, USA and Sydney, Australia. Baltimore Technologies plc is a public company with dual listings on NASDAQ (BALT) and the London Stock Exchange (BLM). Intel Corporation is a minority shareholder in the Company. Baltimore Technologies made e-commerce history in 1998 when President Clinton and Ireland's Prime Minister Ahern digitally signed an inter-governmental communique using security technology provided by Baltimore.
For further information and press releases on Baltimore Technologies, please visit baltimore.com
About Global e-Security '99
Global e-Security '99, the inaugural Baltimore Technologies Annual Convention, is taking place this year in Dublin, Ireland from 1st to 3rd November. Sponsored by Cisco Systems, Gemplus, ISOCOR, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Sun Microsystems Global e-Security '99 is designed to educate delegates on all aspects of security for e-business.
The convention is organized along three main tracks featuring over 70 speakers from around the world:- Enterprise Track; Developers Track; Digital Certificate Service Providers Track. Over 30 world leading vendors will demonstrate the very latest in PKI solutions and services in the ''e-Security Village''.
View the Global e-Security '99 webcast at e-security99.baltimore.com
Register now for Global e-Security 2000 at e-security2000.baltimore.com
E-Security, Baltimore, TrustedWorld, PKIWorld and Baltimore product names including UniCERT, MailSecure, PKI-Plus and J/CRYPTO are all trademarks of Baltimore Technologies plc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Baltimore Technologies (Ireland)
Carol Clavin, +353 1 605 4357
cclavin@baltimore.com
or
Baltimore Technologies (U.S.)
Tracy Ross, 650/372 5288
tross@baltimore.com
or
Baltimore Technologies (Australia)
Antonella Giardino, +612 9409 0300
agiardino@baltimore.com
or
Text 100 (UK)
Matt Warder, (0181) 242 4159
Mattw@text100.co.uk
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