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Expertron's Cell-ID technology: An Answer to Identity Theft
The recent identity theft case that shocked the Internet banking community has created an awareness of the need for strong methods to confirm the identity of users logging into computer systems. This incident has once again shown that the companies in The Innovation Hub are proactive with their development of innovative solutions to real problems experienced in the marketplace.
Expertron, the first company to join the pilot business incubator at The Innovation Hub, anticipated the need for a secure and practical way in which to protect against identity theft, when they developed the Cell-ID authentication system. When a user wants to get access to a computer system, Cell-ID sends an SMS with a passcode (a random number) to the user's cell phone. Only if this number can be entered into the computer as a second password, will the user get access.
The Expertron team (ltr) Walter Smuts, Frikkie Thirion (back), Justin Schoeman (front), Gavin Ehlers, Wynand Jordaan (who has left the company). |
Previously companies may have felt uncomfortable about the reliability and speed of SMS delivery, but the recent introduction of SMS-based authentication systems by two of the major banks in South Africa shows that confidence in this technology is increasing.
Expertron's Cell-ID system offers protection for, inter alia, access to web pages, Windows and Unix logins, firewalls, and dialup connections. A South African patent has been granted for the underlying technology, with patents pending in the USA, Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia.
It is not only the banking sector that is at risk. Insurance companies, stock brokers and medical funds are just a few examples of companies that find it much more affordable to provide a self-help web interface into their systems than to handle all client queries through a standard helpdesk.
Many companies increase efficiency by making it possible for their employees to dial up into the company LAN and access systems remotely. Expertron's Cell-ID system makes it possible to protect access to all these systems in a very manageable and affordable way.
For more information contact Walter Smuts or Gavin Ehlers at Expertron,
Tel +27 12 349 0335.
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