SCM Microsystems, a business unit of Identive Group, and a provider of solutions for secure access, secure identity and secure exchange, announced that more than 700,000 of its contactless smart card readers will be deployed to German citizens under the new electronic identification program managed by Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior ("Bundesministerium des Innern").
SCM Microsystems, a business unit of Identive Group, and a provider of solutions for secure access, secure identity and secure exchange, announced that more than 700,000 of its contactless smart card readers will be deployed to German citizens under the new electronic identification program managed by Germany's Federal Ministry of the Interior ("Bundesministerium des Innern").
Dietmar Wendling, VP for e-Government of SCM Microsystems said, "The German electronic ID program breaks new ground in offering users a secure and easy way to protect their online identities, handle government transactions at both the local and federal level, and access a range of consumer-oriented applications such as ePayments. The free IT Security Kits remove the financial barrier to using the new eID cards and establish a wide reader infrastructure from the very beginning. SCM's readers are an important contribution to the success of the program, as they combine ease of use with security. We are very pleased to participate in this program and to be able to deliver, along with our partners, innovative new concepts and ideas for secure and efficient authentication."
Manfred Mueller, Executive VP of Identive Group and CEO of SCM Microsystems said, "During the last several months, SCM has worked with its partners to develop innovative concepts combining its reader technology with customized partner applications for the eID program. As a result, several SCM partners have been named official suppliers of the reader infrastructure for the federal project."
Mueller said, "SCM's RFID-based contactless card readers form the core of Secure IT Kits that the German government will make available without charge to citizens, through its suppliers, to encourage the use of the electronic ID cards. We also expect that a wide user-base of cards will promote the development of new applications and methods to standardize the use of the eID cards in eGovernment, eBusiness and online legal transactions. SCM's partners in the eID program include Multicard, which is also a business unit of Identive Group."