Athena Smart Card Solutions to OEM Intercede's MyID™ Smart Card and Identity Management System

Lutterworth, Leicestershire, United Kingdom - Intercede Group plc, announced today that Athena Smart Card Solutions, will OEM Intercede's MyID™ smart card and identity management software. This solution will provide Athena with a comprehensive smart card and identity management system to work in combination with Athena's performance leading ASECard Crypto cards and PKCS#11/CAPI Middleware solution.

"We are delighted to announce that Athena Smart Card Solutions have combined our strengths with Intercede." said Masaru Kosaka, Chairman and CEO, Athena Smart Card Solutions. "By providing a custom version of Intercede's MyID smart card and identity management system under the Athena banner, we are offering our customers an industry-leading solution that makes it extremely easy for them to migrate-to, deploy and maintain comprehensive smart card-based identity solutions."

Athena's customers can leverage Athena CMS (Card Management System) smart cards and identity management software to quickly migrate to, and deploy multiple smart card-based ID security solutions and applications including:

• Multi-site, multi-application corporate ID badges

• Physical door access controls to buildings

• Logical access controls and authentication to PCs, Networks and VPNs

• Biometric identity verification

• Payment for goods and services (Canteen and E-purse)
  

Athena CMS, powered by MyID provides a single secure and easy-to-use web-based interface for an organisation to manage the entire lifecycle of digital credentials and certificates on Athena smart cards including:

• Graphical personalisation and printing of smart cards

• Management of PKI certificates from multiple vendors

• Enrolment of biometrics

• Perform key management (including HSM support)

• Management of Athena's contactless card data

• Challenge Response authentication and remote unlock of PINs

"We are very pleased that our MyID software platform has been selected by Athena for their Athena CMS integrated smart card management solution. Alongside Athena's high performance cards this is a very compelling solution for customers looking for a system with a highly competitive price / performance ratio" said Richard Parris, Chairman and CEO, Intercede Group plc. "This OEM relationship provides Intercede with its first partner in Asia and is an important breakthrough into the Japanese market. Intercede also look forward to working with Athena in other markets such as, the USA, Europe and the Middle East"

About Athena Smartcard Solutions
Athena Smartcard Solutions, an affiliate company of Aladdin Knowledge Systems (NASDAQ: ALDN), is a world leader in the field of smart cards for ID and IT Security. Athena's products include ASECard Crypto smart card, ASECard Crypto for Windows, the ASECard Crypto SDK, ASECard Crypto PKCS#11 and CAPI middleware and smart card infrastructure software. ASEDrive IIIe, the leading line of professional and versatile smart card readers available in USB, Serial, Keyboard, PC Internal, Token version and a Motorized reader version; Athena serves its customers through offices located in Tokyo, North America, and Israel as well as a network of professional distributors and integrators in selected countries.

Athena's customers include Government agencies in Japan, USA, and Europe, NEC, Fujitsu, Honda Motors, EDS, Cellcom, and hundreds of corporate customers worldwide.

For more information, visit Athena's home page at http://www.athena-scs.com

Press Contact
Athena Smartcard Solutions
Press@athena-scs.com
www.athena-scs.com

About Intercede
Intercede Group plc is a leading developer and supplier of smart card and identity management software listed on the London Stock Exchange (IGP LN) (IGP.L). The Group's MyID™ software manages the secure registration, issuance and lifecycle of digital identities for a wide range of uses. This requires the integration of multiple technologies and products from many different vendors, including smart cards, biometrics, digital certificates and Open Platform applets.

Intercede's customers cover a range of industries and include Barclays Bank, COLT Telecom, Fujitsu, Lloyds TSB, the UK National Health Service (NHS), Pink Roccade, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ubizen and various US and UK Government agencies and departments.

ENQUIRIES:
Ian Lowe - Marketing Manager
Intercede Group plc
Tel. +44 (0) 1455 558111
Email: ian.lowe@intercede.com