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NamITech provides smartcard technology to university

NamITech has successfully rolled out a Student Identification Card System throughout the Potchefstroom University Campus and the Vaal Triangle Campus. The solution is based on the latest secure MIFARE contactless smartcard technology.

To date, 22 000 cards have been issued to existing and new students and staff members. The initial application on the card provides the students with controlled access throughout the campus, payment at the university canteen and access to the library management system.

According to Clive Handley, executive new and emerging business at NamITech, Potchefstroom University opted for the MIFARE contactless smartcard technology for a number of reasons. "The MIFARE technology has strong inherent security, is more suitable for a high throughput area such as a campus, and the card will give the university the ability to easily enable future applications based around the requirements of a closed community. Such applications could include secure payment technology, public key infrastructure (PKI) and digital certificates or even biometrics to ensure strong authentication of students."

As a result of the project, NamITech has gained valuable experience and knowledge of this relatively new technology. "We now have an in depth understanding of the intricacies of MIFARE, and the possible field applications around it. Using this increased expertise, NamITech has developed its own MIFARE contactless card reader, which can be easily integrated into almost any existing card-based access control solution," continues Handley.

About MIFARE technology

"The real benefit of MIFARE contactless smartcards is that they utilise all the security features associated with contact smartcards but through a contactless medium. The cards have read/write capabilities and sensitive information can be securely stored on the card," concludes Handley.

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