The aim of the project was to ensure clear identification and authentication with regard to physical and IT-related access at Steiermärkischen Gebietskrankenkasse.
Steiermärkische Gebietskrankenkasse
Steiermärkische Gebietskrankenkasse had to take action to increase security at the company. The aim was to ensure secure access to IT rooms and workstation systems with an employee recognition system. Following preliminary assessments, a decision was made in favour of a biometric system via fingerprint recognition.
A public invitation to bid was issued and the first part project awarded to Siemens Business Services as general contractor. In cooperation with Siemens Building Technologies and Siemens Program and System Engineering PSE, the combined solution ID Centre and SiPass was successfully implemented at Steiermärkische Gebietskrankenkasse as a biometric access system to rooms and PC identification system on 10 doors and 100 workstation systems using fingerprint recognition. The first expansion stage began operation in 2005 and expansion to 1100 workstations is currently in the final phases.
The aim of the project was to ensure clear identification and authentication with regard to physical and IT-related access at Steiermärkischen Gebietskrankenkasse. A biometric system proved to be the most efficient method in a preliminary assessment. It fulfils high security requirements, is cost effective and convenient. Independent studies show that the previous authentication system with user name and password costs approx. 250$ per year per user.
The project includes:
- Identification systems for 10 doors inside the building with connection components for connection to the internal data network (Ethernet, Cat5)
- Identification system for 100 PC with Siemens ID mouse, PC mouse with integrated fingerprint reader
- Software for user administration and recording of employee fingerprints
- Installation of sensors and actuators
- Installation of software
- Commissioning and training
- Expansion to 1100 PC workstations
The challenge
To increase company security via identification and authentication of persons with physical access to IT rooms and IT-related access to data processing systems. Networking of Siemens biometric authentication systems for room security (SiPass) and the security of workstation systems (ID Centre).
Advantages for Steiermärkische Gebietskrankenkasse
Increased company security through clear identification and authentication with the elimination of security risks such as spying or passing on of passwords. Reduction of costs through low down-time rates and administration requirements. The personal data for physical and IT-related access is managed centrally and passwords, which an be forgotten, become redundant.
Advantages for employees
The benefit for employees is first and foremost the increased convenience: employees no longer need to remember various passwords or go through the usual inconvenience when chipcards are lost. Personal security is also increased, as the danger of passwords being obtained through spying or chipcards being stolen is no longer an issue.
The solution
The combination of SiPass and ID Centre offers the additional advantage that registration is only carried out once for each person. Biometric data is saved in the ID Centre XS, converted into biometric reference models and allocated to user accounts. Following registration, the Login process for the defined applications takes place via the biometric sensor, e.g. ID mouse. The fingerprint reference images are transmitted to the door readers via the combination of ID Centre XS and SiPass. When a finger is placed on the sensor, the door lock is released for authorized persons and access permitted. An additional benefit is the reduction in administration (allocation/removal of authorization etc.), as the data is only entered once for both systems. This solution results in an increase in the overall basic security of the company.
Contact:
Siemens AG Österreich
Program and System Engineering PSE
www.siemens.com/biometrics
