Arcot Announces Support for Windows CardSpace

Industry partner to support Microsoft standards-based initiative that will reduce identity theft and protect digital identities

Arcot Systems Inc. is The Authentication Authority™. We provide risk-based authentication, strong authentication, digital signing, and secure e-payment solutions. We make online transactions safe and defend against internet threats for millions of users. Our 100% software PKI solutions eliminate the need for expensive hardware or complex login processes. Arcot makes PKI so simple, even a child could use it.

Arcot today announced the first-to-market integration with Microsoft Windows CardSpace identity management framework.

Arcot's authentication solution, WebFort, enhances the protection for information cards that reside on the user's desktop, by adding a portable, multi-factor authentication layer. The WebFort solution helps retain the same look and feel of username/password but resists brute force attacks and prevents unauthorized users from using the information card.

Arcot's 100% software-based, strong authentication technology delivers the right balance of cost, convenience, and strength to organizations that want to protect and verify the identities of their employees, customers and partners. Arcot's unique "Software Smart Card" authenticates users while protecting their digital identities from phishing and "man-in-the-middle" attacks.

Windows CardSpace lets any Windows application give its users a common way to manage their digital identities. It supports many types of digital identity tokens and offers users consistent control of their digital identities. It also provides a replacement to password-based Web login, thereby reducing the threat of users' identity theft and improving user confidence in the identity of remote applications.

"Arcot System's innovative authentication solution adds an important set of capabilities enabling identity providers to protect the information cards that they issue to users and customers," said Thom Robbins, Director of .NET Platform Product Management, Microsoft Corporation. "Arcot System's new solution shows the continuing partner support for Windows CardSpace and adoption by developers since the release of the .NET Framework 3.0."

Arcot and Microsoft, together with Wachovia Corporation and Corillian Corporation, will be demonstrating a Windows CardSpace proof-of-concept (POC) at the Microsoft booth (#1208) and the Arcot booth (#2447) at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, February 5-8. As part of Wachovia's Security PlusSM initiative, this POC demonstrates how Windows CardSpace might be used for online banking to improve the customer experience while enhancing security. The demonstration represents a POC only and is neither a production implementation nor a commitment by Wachovia for production deployment.

"This exciting collaboration between Arcot and Microsoft will showcase how any organization can easily offer strong, multi-factor authentication integrated with a digital identity system - all with a simplified, consistent user experience while helping protect users from identity theft", said Jim Reno, VP of Product Development and Engineering from Arcot. "Arcot and Microsoft are demonstrating the future of identity management for consumer-facing web portals."

About Arcot Systems
Arcot Systems is a leading provider of risk-based authentication, strong authentication, digital signing, and secure e-payment solutions. The company makes online transactions safe for millions of customers by blocking fraud and protecting access. Arcot technology defends against internet threats including phishing, man-in-the-middle, and spyware. Its 100% software authentication solutions eliminate the need for hardware tokens and complex login processes providing customers with strong, PKI-based authentication with the simplicity of a username/password interface. Arcot offerings are compliant with U.S. and international standards including 3-D Secure, IdenTrust, SAFE and FFIEC Internet Banking Authentication recommendations. For more information, visit http://www.arcot.com.