Windows gets smarter at smart cards

MICROSOFT and security - now there's a couple of synonyms for you. The news is that Microsoft just got even securer with the acquisition of privately held Alacris, a maker of smart card management software.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. But Microsoft was able to say that the purchase will simplify the smart card lifecycle management abilities of Windows.

“Customers have told us that smart cards are becoming an increasingly important part of their authentication and authorization strategy,” said Mike Nash, corporate vice president of the Security Technology Unit at Microsoft.

He said Windows already provides a platform, comprised of Active Directory and Microsoft Certificate Services, for using smart cards and other authentication technologies. Alacris technology will streamline the provisioning of new smart cards and the configuration of existing smart cards, and provide Web-based policy-driven workflow management, says the vendor. µ

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