The companies say their aim is to enable financial institutions to build a cost-effective secure environment for high-value transactions quickly and efficiently in a Windows 2000 operating environment. The necessary financial applications for a complete solution will also be incorporated.

Identrus is a bank-backed initiative to build an interoperable global trust network for corporates trading online. Sunil Misra, managing principal, Unisys worldwide enterprise security practice says the lack of a robust trust solution associated with high-value Internet transactions can be a tremendous barrier to the growth of e-business. "The Identrus trust framework removes that barrier and enables financial institutions to become trusted intermediaries for e-commerce. This solution will help financial institutions minimise the risk associated with on-line transactions," she says.

The proposed solution will operate on a Microsoft Windows 2000 platform and Baltimore Technologies' UniCERT Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) security system. Unisys will provide applications, systems integration, project management, and consulting services.

The package includes Identrus-compliant certification authority (CA), registration authority (RA), smart card management, transaction coordinator, digital signature messaging system (DSMS), validation services (OCSP responder), FIPS 140-1 level 3 hardware security modules, Identrus signing interface layer (ISIL), and secure Identrus transaction logging. Other Unisys business partners will be called on to supply additional components.

Customers will be able to choose from multiple hardware configurations designed to support mid- to high-range performance requirements. Such configurations will enable financial institutions to operate a secure Identrus infrastructure, ATM network, and Web-enabled applications on a scalable server, say the companies.

Guy Tallent, president and CEO of Identrus, comments: "We are pleased to see these key technology and security providers working together on this important initiative...The collaboration between these companies will enhance our financial institutions' ability to be up and running and to deploy their Identrus enabled applications and services more quickly."