While most organizations are evaluating moving to smooth and secure authentication mechanisms for digital access, physical access management is still done in silos and relies mainly on cards and key fobs. This approach brings numerous hassles, such as significant complexities of managing multiple systems, administrative and cost overhead for managing physical ID cards, and leaves organizations vulnerable to security breaches.

“Our partnership aimed to introduce a solution that would make physical access and digital authentication seamless. With mobile virtual smart cards already being used for digital authentication, extending them to grant physical access was the obvious step to achieve this goal, says Olivier Dussutour, CEO and Business Head for Workforce Identities at Nexus.

Mobile ID to access doors and log onto digital resources

With the Nexus and Stid joint solution, organizations will be able to issue PKI-based digital identities stored on a mobile virtual smart card in the user’s mobile phone. This Mobile ID will allow users to identify themselves visually, access doors via Bluetooth or NFC, log onto digital resources, sign digital documents, and encrypt emails.

“The solution will enable organizations to streamline their identity management processes. Using one single system allows them to be in control of the issued identities and roll out well-defined access management policies for all their users across the physical and digital domains,” explains Vincent Dupart, CEO at Stid. “Organizations often use smartcards as identity trust anchors. Using smartcards with mobile access cards contributes to a smooth user experience as well as provides a fallback access mechanism if a user misplaces or forgets to bring their physical tokens. From the end-user perspective, the ease of using their smartphones to gain access encourages successful adoption across users,” he further adds.

Seamless integration

The system is designed to integrate seamlessly with legacy physical access readers and systems that organizations might be reluctant to replace, thus minimizing disruptions. On the other hand, it has been developed to be future-proof and to remain compatible with the evolving technology landscape and standards.

“An important aspect we considered while designing the solution is compliance requirements. A common concern highlighted by a majority of our customers is adherence to a plethora of regulatory frameworks governing data privacy and security. As vendors with ANSSI-qualified solutions, our customers can be assured that our offering meets the highest security requirements and complies with EU regulations,” Olivier emphasizes.

“By breaking down silos, our solution offers organizations a chance to bolster security, streamline operations, enhance user experience, and adapt to the evolving needs of the modern workforce,” concludes Vincent Dupart.