by Klaus Schmeh | Jan 18, 2021 | Products
Version 8.0 with support for macOS 11
Just in time for the turn of the year, cv act sc/interface, cryptovision’s proven smartcard middleware, not only got a new name. SCinterface also convinces with new features: The graphical user interface has been fundamentally optimized and the ease of use has been improved throughout thanks to a uniform, more modern design. With the new version 8.0, cryptovision has further expanded the capabilities of SCinterface in response to current market developments. SCinterface customers can now use the full range of middleware use cases with the latest card operating systems NXP JCOP4, Infineon SECORA™ and ATOS CardOS 5.4 & 5.5. With SCinterface 8.0, the current D-TRUST signature and seal cards for qualified signatures can also be used throughout Europe in compliance with eIDAS. Also new in version 8.0 is support for macOS 11 Big Sur, which has only been available since November 2020. This enables a secure and flexible design of BYOD and enterprise IT concepts.
With SCinterface 8.0, two-factor authentication is easily implemented to connect from the home workstation to the corporate network via a virtual private network (VPN) or to use a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). SCinterface 8.0 works unrivaled with all major smart cards on Windows, Linux and macOS.
About SCinterface
SCinterface middleware integrates smartcards and other security tokens as well as virtual and remote credentials into IT environments. SCinterface acts across platforms and supports more than 100 different smartcards, security tokens and profiles on all major operating systems. There are many useful features including biometrics, highly customizable PIN caching for different security levels, Microsoft Virtual Smart Card and remote token support.
SCinterface is used by numerous customers worldwide in a variety of industries. These include German companies Allianz, Signal Iduna and E.ON, Dutch KPN and SwissSign, among others.
by Klaus Schmeh | May 4, 2020 | Products
Dealing with VS-NfD classified information is much easier if you can send it by e-mail. However, this is only permitted with a VS-NfD-approved encryption solution. GreenShield by cryptovision is one of the few products that meet this requirement. GreenShield not only convinces with its high user-friendliness, but also with its central management and the support of different BSI-approved smartcard types.
GreenShield is available in the variants GreenShield Mail (e-mail encryption) and GreenShield File (file encryption). GreenShield Mail is implemented as a convenient add-in for the user’s e-mail client. GreenShield File and GreenShield Mail for Outlook received approval for processing and transmitting VS-NfD (EU and NATO restricted) classified information as early as December 2018. Now the approval has been extended by the BSI to include GreenShield Mail for IBM Notes.
This makes GreenShield Mail the only VS-NfD approved email encryption solution for IBM Notes on the German market. The solution’s multi-client capability is also unique: it supports both Outlook and Notes on the same device. Thus GreenShield Mail enables a smooth migration from Notes to Outlook.
Germany’s largest Notes installation is operated by a Federal Ministry, which has been using the predecessor product (cv act s/mail – for VS-NfD) from cryptovision for 15 years. cryptovision is now pleased to be able to serve this customer with GreenShield Mail for Notes.
GreenShield website: https://www.cryptovision.com/en/products/security-applications/greenshield/
by Klaus Schmeh | Apr 16, 2020 | Products
Retailers and restaurateurs need to upgrade. The Kassensicherungsverordnung (KassenSichV) [Cash Register Security Ordinance] requires them to equip their cash registers with cryptographic security mechanisms that prevent tax fraud. The focus here is on a so-called Technical Security Device (TSE), a security module that must be certified according to the specifications of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). A TSE must be used in every cash register, whereby the technical details are regulated in standard TR-03153.
cryptovision, which has specialised in crypto solutions for two decades, has completely developed an innovative TSE module on behalf of Bundesdruckerei and its subsidiary D-TRUST. A few days ago, this product received the required certificate from BSI. Now nothing stands in the way of its use in supermarkets, restaurants or furniture stores.
The primary goal in the multi-year design process was to develop not only a secure and legally compliant TSE solution, but above all one that is suitable for everyday use. No retailer will tolerate that a cash register that he uses dozens of times a day is suddenly more cumbersome to operate. Against this background, cryptovision and Bundesdruckerei decided to implement a microSD card, as known from digital cameras for example. With a size of less than two square centimetres, such a card can be integrated into small (mobile) POS systems without any problems. It can also be used on a server.
As the only solution on the German market, the TSE developed by cryptovision uses the latest chip generation with the card operating system JCOP 4 from NXP. All security-relevant functions are stored centrally on this chip – this increases not only security but also the future viability of the TSE. The product enables up to four transactions per second, with a lifetime that can be set at up to 20 million transactions. The solution can be accessed via several interfaces (C-API, JAVA-API or transport layer), which makes integration by manufacturers of POS systems easy.
“With our TSE product, we have once again succeeded in meeting high security requirements and legal regulations in a solution that is suitable for everyday use,” says Markus Hoffmeister, CEO of cryptovision, happily. “Our long-standing partnerships with NXP, Bundesdruckerei and D-TRUST were a great advantage in this respect”.
For Hoffmeister, the legally required protection of cash registers is only the beginning of a development that will also result in the protection of numerous other technical devices: “The future belongs to the Internet of Things (IoT). From electricity meters to cars to refrigerators, there is hardly anything that will not be connected to a communication network at some point in the future. Security will play a central role in this.” cryptovision is prepared for this. The Jacolyn CSP security solution, which forms the core of the certified TSE product, is not only suitable for cash registers. It can be used in many IoT applications in the future.
Additional links:
Press release by Bundesdruckerei (German): https://www.bundesdruckerei.de/de/Newsroom/Pressemitteilungen/Digitale-Kassendaten-vor-Manipulationen-schuetzen
Website about cryptovision’s TSE solution: https://www.cryptovision.com/en/solutions/iot-and-industry/fiscalization-solutions
by Klaus Schmeh | Dec 20, 2019 | Products
cryptovisions smart credential middleware SCinterface is released in the new version 7.3. SCinterface now also supports macOS 10.15 (Catalina) and via SCinterface Utility the dark mode of macOS – good news for all Mac users. The configuration of PIN caching with SCinterface Cache has become much more flexible – it can be done according to time, predefined key usage or application, whereby whitelists as well as blacklists are possible. All variants can be combined at will. The flexibility of PIN caching increases the level of security. SCinterface 7.3 also supports additional cards, tokens, profiles and operating system versions. Not least due to the constantly growing number of interoperable solutions, SCinterface will remain the product of choice in 2020 for the use of Smart Credentials in applications of all kinds.
SCinterface product page: https://www.cryptovision.com/en/products/secure-token-integration/sc-interface/
