International. Nexus and STid have developed a joint solution with the goal of simplifying physical and digital identity management for organizations of all sizes.
According to the companies, such a solution will allow all authorized users to access corporate facilities and digital resources with reliable mobile IDs.
While most organizations are evaluating moving to secure and seamless authentication mechanisms for digital access, physical access management is still done in silos and relies primarily on cards and key fobs.
Such an approach comes with numerous hassles, such as significant complexities when managing multiple systems and administrative and overhead for the management of physical ID cards.
"Our partnership aims to introduce a solution that facilitates physical access and digital authentication. With mobile virtual smart cards already used for digital authentication, expanding them to grant physical access was the obvious step to achieve this goal," said Olivier Dussutour, Executive and Commercial Director of Work Identities at Nexus.
With the joint Nexus and STid solution, organizations will be able to issue PKI-based digital identities, stored on a virtual smart card on the user's mobile phone. This mobile ID will allow users to identify themselves visually, access doors using Bluetooth or NFC, log in to digital resources, sign digital documents, and encrypt emails.
"The solution will enable organizations to optimize their identity management processes. Using a single system allows them to be in control of the identities issued and implement well-defined access management policies for all their users across the physical and digital domains," explained Vincent Dupart, CEO of STid.
"Organizations often use smart cards as anchors of trust in identity. Using smart cards with mobile access cards contributes to a smooth user experience and provides an alternative access mechanism if a user misplaces or forgets to bring their physical tokens. From the end-user's perspective, the ease of using their smartphones to gain access fosters successful adoption among users," Dupart added.
The system is designed to integrate seamlessly with legacy physical access systems and readers that organizations might be reluctant to replace, thereby minimizing disruptions. On the other hand, it has been developed to be future-proof and remain compatible with the evolving technology landscape and standards.
"An important aspect we considered when designing the solution is compliance requirements. A common concern highlighted by most of our clients is compliance with a myriad of regulatory frameworks governing data privacy and security. As ANSSI-qualified solution providers, our customers can rest assured that our offering meets the highest safety requirements and complies with EU regulations," Olivier emphasizes.
"By eliminating silos, our solution offers organizations the opportunity to strengthen security, streamline operations, improve the user experience, and adapt to the changing needs of the modern workforce," concludes Vincent.
