LEGIC Unveils Unifying neon-on-card Technology: Smartcard Support Now Integrated with Mobile Credentialing Platform LEGIC Connect

Next-generation neon-on-card technology means digital ID applications employing both smartphones and now also contactless smartcards (keycards) can be simplified and managed via the same toolchain with increased security.

Zurich, Switzerland September 10, 2024 - With the arrival of smartphone app-based hotel keys in 2014, LEGIC developed its end-to-end mobile credentialing platform, LEGIC Connect. Today LEGIC Connect enables not only hotel operators but also operators of buildings, mobility services, universities and critical infrastructure to implement services that securely deploy, manage, and update virtual keys hosted on an end-user's smartphone app or digital wallet.

Legacy keycards are traditionally deployed and managed by completely different tools, meaning increased logistics and costs are associated with electronic locking systems needing to work with multiple technologies and their respective configuration and management tools.

Mobile & card solution all in one
With the launch of LEGIC’s neon-on-card applet solution, both card and smartphone-based access solutions can be easily managed with the same tools, be it for hospitality, corporate, education,  critical infrastructure, or mobility applications. Infrastructure operators can now issue the same data and credential structure on their user’s smartcards as they do on their mobile phones. Key management for both solutions is performed by LEGIC Orbit, an integral part of LEGIC Connect.

The underlying technology, LEGIC neon, is recognized by the Open Security Standard Association, Standard Offline (OSS-SO), and can thus be implemented on all LEGIC-enabled electronic locks regardless of manufacturer. With both online and offline operation, the low-power solution is also optimized for battery-powered applications.

Parallel operation with legacy standards
LEGIC neon can also be used in parallel with other popular smartcard standards such as LEGIC advant or MIFARE DESFire® allowing for a phased migration to the consolidated, higher-security neon standard. It is also ideal for customers who already work with processor cards as retrofitting is easy and inexpensive. Operators implementing neon-on-card have 100% ownership and management of project-specific keys which are never visible to anyone, not even the operators themselves

Key Benefits of neon-on-card:

  • Security Ownership: end customers and system operators can generate project-specific cryptographic application keys which are never-visible to anyone. These custom keys can easily be created by the click of a button and are used to secure the neon-on-card and neon-on-mobile credentials of an individual application.
  • Key Rolling: an end customer, as a precautionary measure, may simply create a new set of application keys to change the cryptographic keys securing the neon credentials of an individual application.
  • Enhanced Security: neon-on-card is ready for BSI listing, making it ideal for high-security projects such as government facilities, power stations, and other critical infrastructures.
  • Seamless Transition: LEGIC’s smartcard evolution from prime to advant to neon ensures a smooth transition for existing customers.
  • Increased Market Choice: neon-on-card provides a strong alternative to DESFire and HID® Seos, giving the market more options.
  • Easy Expansion: current neon-on-mobile customers can effortlessly expand to card applications using the same technology, and vice versa.
  • Advanced Messaging: neon is a patented technology which provides “neon messaging” to mobile apps and LC Projects, such as sending battery status to facility management companies.
  • User-Friendly: simplifies standard use cases without the need to study extensive specifications or to be in a secure environment for file initialization.
  • Consistent Technology: option to use the same neon file keys and names, ensuring easy card extension for current neon-on-mobile solutions.
  • Controlled Usage: provides better performance by preventing file name duplicates and offers robust privacy protection.
  • Processor Card Trend: Supports the use of processor cards for corporate access and beyond, thus enabling contactless applications and PKI support without an additional chip.
  • Biometric Integration: Supports biometric cards.
  • LEGIC advant to neon migration path: Simply load the LEGIC advant applet and the LEGIC neon applet onto the same smartcard.

This innovation aligns with LEGIC’s goal to ensure that our clients have the most advanced and flexible solutions available.

For more information about LEGIC’s neon-on-card technology, contact info@legic.com

LEGIC Identsystems
Natascha Marty
Corporate Communications Manager
LEGIC Identsystems Ltd
natascha.marty@legic.com


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