In today’s digital landscape, smartphones have become indispensable, multifunctional tools, serving as central hubs for everyday tasks such as payment, identification, health monitoring, and communication. The integration of access management with smartphones represents a further expansion of smartphone functionality into the realm of Physical Identity and Access Management (PIAM), transcending the constraints associated with conventional mechanical keys and plastic keycards, which are frequently lost, misplaced, forgotten, copied, or stolen.
Here are two compelling approaches to achieve PIAM integration:
- Mobile Wallet Integration: By seamlessly merging the LEGIC Connect credentialing platform with Apple and Google Wallets, smartphones can now assume the role of a universal key for offices, homes, hotel rooms, lockers, containers, and other valuable assets. Initially designed for storing digital credit, debit and loyalty cards, Mobile Wallets have expanded their functionality to encompass transit pass, ID card, employee badge, hotel room key, and resident key for private and multi-family homes.
- Dedicated App: Alternatively, by utilizing the LEGIC Mobile SDK (Software Development Kit), solution providers, infrastructure operators and hospitality service providers can create their own branded apps for access control, along with in-house payment solutions for vending machines, restaurants, parking facilities, EV charging stations, and other amenities offered in a company, campus, or hotel. These apps can be tailored to specific use cases, combining as well as bundling access with multiple adjunct services to enhance the user experience.
The key advantage of Mobile Wallets is their status as a native application integrated into the pre-installed mobile operating system. This ensures automatic maintenance and updates by the mobile OS provider. Setup is quick and easy, and the addition of keys to rooms, offices, homes, and digitally controlled assets to Mobile Wallets is accomplished with just a few simple steps. This frees the service provider from having to create, maintain, update, and deploy a dedicated app.
Unlock doors quickly and conveniently with your smartphone
Based on Near Field Communication (NFC), Mobile Wallets deliver a convenient user experience akin to using a traditional smartcard. With the appropriate mode activated (for example Apple Express Mode), you don’t even need to unlock your device, enter a PIN, or establish a network connection. Just hold your smartphone near the reader to unlock. It’s easy and convenient as it’s not necessary to find and launch an app which requires both hands.
Users can enhance security by activating biometric verification such as facial recognition within their Wallet. Additionally, Mobile Wallets function as a centralized repository for multiple virtual cards and keys, simplifying their use across a variety of applications provided by multiple unrelated service providers.
Get into your space, even when your smartphone needs a charge.
Apple Wallet can operate even when the battery is critically low, unlike dedicated apps that cease to function. This feature is particularly valuable for access control scenarios where the ability to enter an office, hotel room, or residence when the phone battery appears dead provides both convenience and peace of mind.
Integrate mobile wallet access with the LEGIC Security Platform
As part of the LEGIC Security Platform dedicated to supporting secure mobile services, LEGIC Connect comprises an OWASP-ASVS audited Trusted Service hosted on AWS, a Mobile SDK plus LEGIC Security Modules which include RF transceivers (Bluetooth, NFC, RFID) and tamper-proof Secure Element (SM-6300 and the programmable SM-6310). These modules are embedded in infrastructure devices such as electronic locks, access wall readers, corporate printers, desktop readers for PC login, and vending machines.
Together, these components establish a cryptographically secure, bidirectional channel from backend administration system to smartphone to infrastructure. In addition to credentials, any data needing secure distribution to, or collection from electronic doors, lockers, or containers such as firmware, cryptographic keys, whitelists, device status or certificates can be securely transported via LEGIC Connect.
Delivering credentials securely to Mobile Wallets
To make mobile credentials accessible to more solution providers, the LEGIC Security Platform can deliver mobile access credentials directly to Apple or Google Wallet where they can be updated and held securely.
LEGIC realizes Wallet support in stages
To help customers transition their access and ID services to Mobile Wallets, LEGIC provides a phased approach:
- The first stage focuses on providing virtual card content for existing Apple Wallet integrations as an Apple Credential Provider.
- LEGIC then provides an easy to use read-only credential for Apple and Google Wallet.
- Where possible, LEGIC will extend support to web provisioning, fully eliminating the need for a custom app.
- Furthermore, LEGIC intends to support more complex card structures with a mix of read and write interactions as is typical for various offline access credential formats.
The extension of the LEGIC Security Platform to mobile wallets means LEGIC customers can:
- Provide their own secure Wallet credentials to their users today,
- Manage credential life cycle in an OS provided Wallet,
- Leave mobile device and Wallet security to the experts and focus on delivering a smooth and user-friendly experience for their applications.
The LEGIC Wallet Program
For comprehensive information on how to make your LEGIC-based products and services compatible with Apple and Google Wallets, please visit our Wallet Program webpage.
Mobile Wallet integration is available exclusively to LEGIC Partners. Become a LEGIC Partner today.
Contacts
LEGIC Identsystems AG
Natascha Marty
Corporate Communications Manager
LEGIC Identsystems Ltd
natascha.marty@legic.com