Packaging

Atmel Releases First Integrated TPM/Biometric PC Authentication Solution Using the Softex OmniPass Security Client

Monday 07. April 2008 - Atmel(R) Corporation (NASDAQ:ATML) announced today the dual support of its Trusted Platform Modules (TPM) and Biometric FingerChip(R) solutions within the Softex OmniPass PC Security Client.

For the first time, PC ODMs and OEMs are able to obtain a fully integrated TPM and biometric fingerprint sensor solution from a single vendor which includes all hardware and an integrated authentication suite. Atmel’s combination improves privacy, eliminates supply chain complexity, simplifies development, and reduces hardware pricing and software licensing costs.

Now, using OmniPass from Softex, Atmel offers a single supplier integrated solution for the PC market that provides the powerful benefits of both the TPM and FingerChip sensor. Atmel can supply OEMs/ODMs with different combinations of the TPM and FingerChip families to meet almost any convenience or security point. Solutions range from very low cost sensor-only options for convenient log on to chipsets with embedded biometric and security coprocessors and a TPM. The TPM offers the very highest security level, and a completely embedded and secure processing environment, ensuring complete privacy and security of a user’s personal data, biometric data, and associated passwords and secrets.

Linking Biometrics and TPMs in PCs. TPMs are well known for their protection capabilities in today’s PC architectures. Biometric fingerprint sensors are seeing explosive adoption in PCs due to their convenience for authentication and password replacement applications. When combined with the Softex OmniPass application, Atmel’s TPM and FingerChip fingerprint sensor provide the core components for a wide range of secure solutions.

Multifactor Authentication. Linking Atmel devices provides a multifactor authentication architecture, resulting in improved security. Authentication is required at two levels; if valid information is provided, the TPM unlocks the PC based on your password, and the FingerChip unlocks the PC based upon your fingerprint.

Availability. This integrated Atmel and Softex solution is available now.