< back to news + events

CardSoft’s Release of their eAppliance FINREAD Platform Helps Build Financial Applications for Smart Devices

San Mateo, California – January 6, 2003 – CardSoft Inc., a recognized pioneer of interoperable software on fixed and wireless m-commerce devices, today announced the launch of their eAppliance FINREAD Platform eAFPv1.1 product which implements the FINREAD 1.1 specifications for intelligent smart card readers.

CardSoft eAFP v1.1 supports the FINREAD v1.1 specifications where financial applications - FINREAD stiplets ( special Java applets) signed and certified by a certification authority, may be distributed over non secure networks, downloaded and deployed into FINREAD card readers around the world. The FINREAD specification, utilizing a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), ensures authentication of the applications and validates their interoperability, which means that FINREAD stiplets developed by any card issuing entity, such as a payment scheme, or official governmental body or a social welfare organization will run on any FINREAD compliant reader, independent of the manufacturer.

William VANOBBERGHEN, Co-ordinator of the FINREAD project at Groupement des Cartes Bancaires "CB", said: "The FINREAD specifications provide for the necessary added value expected by the industry in terms of both security and portability. The expected growth in e-transactions mainly depends on how authentication and thus confidence occur on each end of the Internet relation, but also on how quickly application providers will bring secure services to the market. FINREAD namely contributes to enhance the capacities of small devices through its secure downloading process for applications, its high security features, such as PKI and asymmetric cryptography, and its open inception."

CardSoft offers a secure Java application development environment for mobile computing and emerging technologies such as EFTPOS devices, cell phones, smart PDAs and smart appliances. CardSoft products enable OEMs and independent software developers to create secure applications for mobile computing devices (fixed and wireless) that may be included in environments between merchants, financial institutions and consumers.

CardSoft supports multiple secure transaction implementations by its support for standards such as Global Platform, EMV, (VISA & MasterCard initiative), the STIP Consortium (www.stip.org) and FINREAD (www.finread.com). FINREAD has been initiated by the banking and payment industry with the support of several major banks and payment card schemes in and outside Europe.

Concurrent transactions managed by these applications will be totally secure from a business and financial perspective at the device level. This new technology will be a "must have" for the propagation of new hand-held devices that will enable m-commerce to become a ubiquitous reality!

Features/Benefits:
• Small footprint
• Tunable VM
• Fast – Flash memory optimized
• Support for JEFF File system
• Dynamic loading of application
• Security between applications
• Support for PKI / SSL over networks
• Compliant with FINREAD Spec v1.1

For More Information on CardSoft, please contact Lori Mitchell at 650-357-7222 or visit our website at www.cardsoft.com.

About CardSoft

CardSoft is an innovator in the development of open, interoperable software enabling secure transactions on small computing devices. With its eAppliance technology, CardSoft has succeeded in establishing a common programming environment for a wide range of small electronic devices reflecting the "write once, run anywhere" philosophy of Java. CardSoft is located in the USA in California's Silicon Valley, with additional offices in Asia, and Canada. CardSoft is a member of the STIP Consortium (www.stip.org) and the J-Consortium (www.j-consortium.org).

About FINREAD

Financial Transactional IC Card Reader (FINREAD) is a European innovative solution to meet the need for advanced security for smart card transactions via public networks. It defines the specifications of an interoperable intelligent smart card reader to be connected to a personal computer. FINREAD has been designed and carried out by the FINREAD Consortium, co-ordinated by the Paris, France-based Groupement des Cartes Bancaires "CB", the French inter-bank association for card payments - www.finread.com.