Schlumberger TeamsWith Encryption Firm
SAN MATEO, Calif.-Pretty Good Privacy Inc., a provider of data encryption software, said it entered into a strategic alliance with Schlumberger Electronic Transactions, the French-owned smart card producer.
The companies said they would develop and market products that integrate PGP's encryption technology, which has become a popular method of securing electronic mail and safeguarding privacy on the World Wide Web, with Schlumberger's Cryptoflex card.
The combined products will be aimed at ensuring security on corporate intranets as well as the global Internet, enhanced with the portability of smart cards.
"Now you can carry your PGP keys as easily as you carry your credit cards," said Tom Steding, president and chief executive officer of Pretty Good Privacy.
"No longer do people have to choose between security and convenience," said James J. Davis, vice president and general manager of Schlumberger Smart Cards and Systems, North America, based in Moorestown, N.J. "PGP's trusted encryption technology is a perfect complement to the convenience of our new Cryptoflex smart card. The combination of public key encryption and smart card technology provides the strongest and most convenient security and digital authentication available."
The alliance is the latest in a series for Schlumberger. With its French competitor Gemplus it spearheaded the Java Card Forum, which promotes the Java programming language on smart cards, and is in the PC/SC work group standardizing card readers for personal computers.
Schlumberger also recently demonstrated a smart card application of the elliptic curve encryption system sold by Certicom Corp. of Canada.
International PurchasesCompleted Using SET
COPENHAGEN-PBS Denmark, the payments organization that was involved in a pioneering Internet credit card transaction late last year, has duplicated the feat internationally.
Working with Europay Norway and the Europay International network, the Danish payment system on April 17 said it had completed the first cross- border Internet transactions under the MasterCard-Visa Secure Electronic Transactions protocol.
Roar Steen, chief executive officer of Europay Norway, bought a novel from a Danish bookstore, and Per Ladegaard, CEO of PBS Denmark, bought an airplane ticket from the Norwegian airline Braathens SAFE. At the same time, the first domestic SET payment was processed in Norway, also for an airline ticket.
In all three cases, the purchases were made with Eurocard-MasterCard cards on the International Business Machines Corp. Net.Commerce technology platform.
Terminal Maker OpensLatin American HQ
SAN JOSE, Calif.-Intellect Electronics Inc., an Australian terminal maker, said it has opened an office in Miami to be its Latin America headquarters.
The company named Roberto Fuentes, 43, regional director. He was formerly regional sales manager for Stratus Computer. Before that, he had worked at Verifone Inc. for five years on a variety of assignments.
Intellect is eager to sell in the Latin American market and recently won a contract to supply smart card terminals to Itacomp Corp. of Brazil.
