Schlumberger Upgrades Smart Card

Electronic News, Dec 21, 1998

san jose--Attempting to further its own moves in the emerging U.S. smart card market, Schlumberger has rolled out what it claims is a new smart card based on Java technology that combines both multiple application capabilities with built-in cryptographic services.

The card is said to provide security services that other digital smart cards may not have, including digital signature, authentication and authorization. In addition, the card also has application security features such as secure remote Java Card applet loading using digital signatures. The card also complies with Java Card API 2.0 specification from Sun Microsystems and the primary features of the 2.1 specification. The card is also backward-compatible with other Java-based smart cards from the company.

"This card, and smart cards in general, are on the road to being a card for various functions besides just credit card activity," said Tom Lebsack, director of multiple applications for Schlumberger smart cards and terminals. "Visa, MasterCard and American Express are all interested in this technology but not for credit card activity but for everything else the technology potentially brings to the table."

According to Lebsack, the Cyberflex Access card is targeted at the U.S. market and eventually will move to Europe and perhaps the Asian market as well. Lebsack said the U.S. market is ready to go with trials and in 1999 corporate schemes are ready to go on-line with corporate smart cards for most of its well-traveled executives.

Smart cards have suffered from a lack of acceptance in the U.S. while in other parts of the world smart cards have prospered and are widely accepted. However, Schlumberger says smart cards are already in DirecTV and cell phones and have been a staple for these markets in the near term. The company before long expects smart cards to be integrated into CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs and applications that use Windows CE.