Singapore Technologies Electronics bags National Authentication Framework contract

IDA's wholly-owned subsidiary, Assurity Trusted Solutions, will own the NAF infrastructure and work closely with ST Electronics.

The contract was awarded by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, said Singapore Technologies Engineering.

To date, the financial sector and business sectors do not have a common trusted platform on which they can rely on to provide strong authentication capabilities. The NAF aims to address this need by providing a secure infrastructure with the appropriate authentication mechanism that offers convenience to its users.

Online service providers such as government agencies, banks and other financial institutions, as well as companies offering services over the Internet, will have the option to leverage the NAF for 2FA services and outsource their authentication infrastructure to the NAF.

For consumers, they will only need to carry one authentication token device that will enable them to access online e-services from a multitude of service providers that is onboard the NAF. Consumers will benefit from the added security offered by two-factor authentication without the hassle of having to carry multiple authentication tokens for multiple services.

The contract was awarded to ST Electronics’ subsidiary, ST Electronics (Info-Security) Pte Ltd. The set up and deployment of the NAF infrastructure is expected to be completed by the second half of 2011. ST Electronics will design, build, operate and maintain the infrastructure to support the NAF services over the next five years.

“ST Electronics is delighted to be given this opportunity to design and build the NAF infrastructure which will offer businesses and consumers the dual benefits of secure and strong authentication and the convenience of carrying only one token device for access to multiple online services. We are also very happy that our capabilities and experience in providing info-security solutions such as encryption and authentication devices will be applied on a nation-wide system that will be made available for public use," said Lee Fook Sun, President of ST Electronics.

The NAF seeks to realise the vision of the IDA’s iN2015 Masterplan for a secure and trusted enabling infocomm infrastructure by facilitating a nation-wide common platform for strong authentication using two-factor authentication technology that will:
- enable consumers to enjoy the convenience of using a single authentication device to access multiple online services that require strong authentication;
- enable businesses to enjoy cost savings when they leverage NAF instead of implementing their own strong authentication systems;
- boost online trust and confidence, thus helping to entrench Singapore’s status as a trusted infocomm hub; and
- enhance protection against online identity theft for online services.