This was the second of four phases designed to replace older 32KB-chip cards used by all Microsoft employees and contractors. The previous smartcards had also been produced by Indala. According to Candy Stark, security program manager Microsoft Corporation, “Microsoft employees around the world use smart cards manufactured by Indala to gain access to our network, digitally sign e-mail, and gain access to corporate buildings. “The new cards hold a greater amount of memory than the previous cards, and give us the flexibility to support applications such as cashless vending and cafeteria payments.” Marc Freundlich, Indala president, added, “Security and privacy continue to be our top objectives at Indala; and the implementation of these types of multi-factor, highly secure, and easy-to-use credentials is a clear example of how Indala can help protect the organization and the individual from the high costs associated with corporate identity theft.”
