Alinghi and WISekey - Leadership Made in Switzerland - Article Swiss Style Special edition for the World Economic Forum in Davos 2010 .. by Jules Landon

1. THE SWISS STYLE
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM SPECIAL DAVOS
— SUSTAINABILITY: WISEKEY AND ALINGHI: LEADERSHIP MADE IN SWITZERLAND »»» by Jules Landon
WISeKey and Alinghi:
Leadership made In Switzerland
W hen, last fall, WISekey, the waste for the sailing syndicate’s transac- ica’s Cup is often hotly contested and
bespoke digital security tions and facilities during America’s Cup. very popular. The 2007 edition in Valen-
solutions company, was named WISeKey will also provide secure accredi- cia captured television global audiences
the sole provider of security software tation devices for all Alinghi facilities, of up to 200 million viewers and featured
and services to the high-tech sailing including electronic identity credentials spying charges as boat syndicates grap-
syndicate, Alinghi, as it prepares to and USB data storage security tokens. pled for an edge. The 2010 edition prom-
defend its America’s Cup title against “We are proud to be named the sole ises to be similarly seductive for global
challenger BMW Oracle in 2010, Carlos provider of Alinghi’s electronic security audiences, especially because of plans to
Moreira, the Geneva firm’s founder and solutions,” comments Carlos Moreira. reach the large multimedia audiences.
CEO, thought the timing was perfect. “WISeKey and Alinghi share many values. “We are delighted to welcome back
Switzerland, like most of the world’s WISeKey as a sponsor of Alinghi for the
leading countries and brands, was com- 33rd America’s Cup, says Ernesto Bertarel-
ing out of a tough 2009. The WISeKey- li, Alinghi team president. “As a team
Alinghi partnership, Moreira reasoned, we need to share and access confidential
features two of Switzerland’s most futuris- information, such as design data, so se-
tic technology-driven organizations. Their curity is paramount in our campaign to
renewed partnership on the global stage WISeKey’s eKey+ – try and win the America’s Cup again. Our
is as good a signal as any to the world that combining a biometric token device with partnership with WISeKey will ensure
Switzerland will bounce back, and tech- the WISekey eSecurity Suite to produce that we have the optimum protection.”
nology “Made in Switzerland” was deter- secure and highly trustworthy interactions
mined to be a force in this new decade. with websites … perfect for globe-trotting And more to come
executives and their companies During the next America’s Cup,
Secure sailing ahead WISeKey will release its next generation
WISeKey SA has developed state-of- We both deeply believe in integrity, excel- of WISeAuthentic products, including the
the-art digital security systems to protect lence and the transforming possibilities of WISeNetBook and eKey+, a portable secure
Alinghi’s operations, brand and sailing first-rate technology. And we are proud of ID device for organizations and execu-
technology during the race, a four-day inheriting the tradition of building win- tives with sensitive data to access. A typical
150-year-old event with a huge global fol- ning organizations in Switzerland.” eKey+ user site default page can require
lowing, which befits its status as one of The deal was a coup for 10-year- using fingerprint or password for access
the world’s oldest sporting events. old WISeKey. It repeats a success first and the use of SSL client authentication
The range of services WISeKey provides achieved during the last America’s Cup to establish the encrypted SSL sessions.
Alinghi includes securing and hosting Alin- in 2007. The America’s Cup sailing re- WISeKey provides Alinghi and industries
ghi public and confidential websites, creat- gatta match has been around since 1857. and governments with sensitive infor-
ing and distributing biometric-protected It is the oldest active international sport- mation, facilities and online and off-line
electronic tokens to privileged fans and ing trophy, predating the modern Olym- events they want to improve with user-
staff, and creating digital signature cer- pic Games by 45 years. Featuring the best friendly and strong identity authenticat-
tificates to eliminate environmental sailors and resources in the world, Amer- ing products and services.
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2. The eKey+ is a revolutionary concept Carlos Moreira, Founder
newly developed by WISekey. It combines & CEO, WISekey,
a biometric token device with the WISekey Pierre-François Unger,
eSecurity Suite to produce secure and highly Geneva’s Minister of Economy,
trustworthy interactions with websites. In and Ernesto Bertarelli,
short, it’s the USB key James Bonds would President Alinghi
use. That’s why it’s perfect for globe-trot-
letting the world know that
ting executives and their companies. Switzerland is back as technology
Designed to help increase trust be- and global business powerhouse
tween users and web services providers,
the security software suite offers corpora-
tions, small business owners and govern-
ment agencies the ability to give their
customers and colleagues access to their
sensitive data to perform transactions
from unsecured access points anywhere
in the world.
Meeting the ever-increasing
need for security
The potential for fraud is a major
hurdle for the evolution and growth of
online commerce, according to the Orga-
“WISekey will be joining Hublot in this partnership with Alinghi. The move combines
nization for Economic Co-Operation and
the breakthrough technology WISekey has developed for Hublot in the fight against
Development (OECD). Identity theft is counterfeiting with its work to counter corporate espionage for Alinghi”
defined as the process of using someone
else’s personal information for your own fy who you are,” Moreira says. “WISeKey’s banner year for WISeKey. The World Eco-
personal gain. systems have been the closest thing for nomic Forum, the foundation renowned
In 2008, identity theft worldwide in- ten years now.” for its annual conference in Davos of
creased by 22% from 2007. The Aberdeen The eKey+ Biometric USB includes a digi- CEOs and thinkers on ethics and global-
Group has estimated that US$ 221 billion tal certificate that provides the individual ization, last September named WISeKey a
a year is lost by businesses worldwide user with the highest level of security, en- “New Champion” among “Global Growth
due to identity theft. abling identification, authentication, se- Companies (GGCs) at the forefront of
WISeKey’s position as a leader in cure encrypted communications (e-mail, demonstrating how entrepreneurship,
electronic ID management systems to website, etc), electronic signatures and non- innovation and technology can relaunch
facilitate electronic transactions is very repudiation. The WISeKey Personal eIDs as- global growth.”
timely. A combination of popular culture sociate the identity of a person with a digi- Also, in 2009, WISeKey announced
trends, regulatory pressures and e-com- tal identity. On the one hand, a digital ID, plans to open operations in China and
merce growth are pushing people to be or eID, can be viewed as Digital Passports Abu Dhabi. Its partnerships in Brazil
up front about who they are on the Web. that inform Internet users about their in- launched a pioneering program to use
Millions of users enshrouded in anonym- terlocutors’ identity and ensure electronic the Web to generate popular support for
ity to engage in everything from bullying messages confidentiality. A performance carbon offsetting programs to help save
to spamming, identity theft to financial improvement is achieved through offload- the Amazon jungle.
fraud are in trouble. ing computer intensive cryptographic op- Alinghi rejoins a cast of WISeKey cli-
To help users establish their identi- erations from the computer to the external ents and partners that are diverse and top
ties online and protect themselves against eKey+ Biometric USB. of the line, including Microsoft, luxury
cybercriminals, software companies like Bootable eKey+ Biometric USB is the watchmaker Hublot and IKEA. WISekey
WISeKey and websites such as Amazon.com latest module in WISekey’s family of will be joining Hublot in this partnership
and eBay’s PayPal require customers to en- hardware e-security products, built on with Alinghi. The move combines the
ter personal information on a site-by-site ba- the company’s extensive experience in breakthrough technology WISekey has
sis. Yet there aren’t enough widely accepted working with banks and governments, developed for Hublot in the fight against
identity standards – the online equi-valents organizations which have the most strin- counterfeiting with its work to counter
of a driver’s licence or social security num- gent security requirements. corporate espionage for Alinghi.
ber. Even Facebook is reportedly attempting In the process, the three Swiss firms
to get in on WISeKey’s market. The Swiss bounce back – to stay want the world to know that Switzerland
“There isn’t anything built into the With these innovations under its is back as technology and global business
architecture of the Web that lets you veri- belt, the deal with Alinghi concluded a powerhouse – and it is here to stay. «««
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