NW_20001220_en_Card Technology- December 20, 2000

Rabobank in Holland has ordered 300,000 VASCO Digipass 800 handheld authentication and digital signature devices. Rabobank will roll out this initial order to a segment of its 6 million electronic purse chip cardholders to provide them secure access to the bank’s Web site from any personal computer. Instead of logging onto Raboanks Web site with a user name and password cardholders would insert their smart card into the Digipass 800 device and type in a personal identification number. The device generates a one-time password that gives them access to the site.

“Typing in a static password is weak authentication,” says Daniel Mouly, VASCO’s chief technology officer. “Replacing that with one-time passwords generated with Digipass increases security because the passwords are not repeated and the device must be used to log onto the site.”

Unlike smart card readers, which must be plugged inot a PC with special PC-to-reader software, the Digipass 800 device can be used at any computer with a Web browser. “Because the device is portable, cardholders can access their bank accounts form anywhere,” says Mouly. The stronger authentication created by using the device enables Rabobank’s customers to conduct high level transactions, such s trading stocks, securely over the Internet, says Mouly. Representatives of Rabobank could not be reached for comment.