Utimaco Safeware AG, a German security software developer, is jumping on the Microsoft smartcard bandwagon, making its software interoperable with the Microsoft operating system. As part of Microsoft’s security partner program, Utimaco’s CardMan smartcard reader, which sold more than 70,000 units last year, will be able to plumb the lucrative Microsoft market.
Utimaco’s corporate development director, Kurt Schmid says that this is a big opportunity. These are huge numbers. He foresees a situation in two or three years, when any PC which is running on Windows 2000 will be a potential case for us. The CardMan sector represents $3m in sales and the company is growing at 50% per year, outrunning the market’s expansion of 30%. The smartcard reader sells for between $50 and $100. Utimaco’s other products, including the SafeGuard range which enables firms to create a security policy for e-commerce including access and network control and encryption facilities, will also run on Windows.
