GlobalPlatform Shares its Vision for a Consumer Centric Secure Services Ecosystem

5 March 2012 – GlobalPlatform, the organization which standardizes the management of applications on secure chip technology, has published a white paper which details its vision to create an ecosystem that enables consumers to have ultimate control over which secure applications they want to use on their device. The white paper – which is free to download from www.globalplatform.org – addresses the current technological trend for a ‘consumer centric model’ and highlights remaining work envisioned to achieve the standardization and security required to make this concept a reality.

The white paper, entitled: 'A New Model: The Consumer-Centric Model and How it Applies to the Mobile Ecosystem' will be of interest to application developers, issuers, trusted service managers, platform providers and mobile network operators. GlobalPlatform has committed resources to this initiative due to a readiness from its members to support this model and develop the required technology to manage a consumer centric approach.

The paper highlights that when the consumer is placed at the center of the secure application ecosystem, consideration must be given to ensure appropriate levels of security. Different applications will require varying degrees of security, from simple protection for applications such as loyalty or gaming to debit -credit payment and identity needing the highest security available.  To address this GlobalPlatform promotes the need for a trusted token; a secure chip-based object, owned by the consumer that adopts the role of a personal security container. Such tokens will be supplied by trusted token providers – entities that can provide security assurances – allowing a service provider to verify the security of a consumer’s token or tokens.

GlobalPlatform uses the white paper to outline its roadmap to support this model and how a verifiable level of security can be delivered for both low and highly-sensitive  applications. As a specification body, key to GlobalPlatform’s work in this area is the need to define an open and scalable infrastructure that encourages the proliferation of supplier agnostic standards-based technology.

Gil Bernabeu, Technical Director of GlobalPlatform, comments: “It is becoming increasing evident that the consumer centric model is inevitable as consumers become more comfortable with downloading applications onto their devices and are requiring more and more protection of their private data and value added services. To ensure widespread adoption, however, it is important that the model evolves in a standardized manner and that the industry collaborates to develop a secure and fully interoperable landscape.

“From a technological perspective, the consumer centric model is compatible with GlobalPlatform’s existing technology. We are now looking to leverage our specifications to facilitate the different levels of security required for different applications. We are calling on other industry associations across all markets engaged in delivering value added applications and secure services to consumers to provide contributions to this model to ultimately speed up mass market deployment.”

Industry feedback is welcome regarding which standardization efforts are most worthwhile for GlobalPlatform to consider as it further defines the consumer centric model.

To contribute to the consumer centric model discussion please email consumercentric@globalplatform.org.

-ENDS-

For further media information, please contact Kirsty Pearson or Rob Peryer at iseepr: kirsty@iseepr.co.uk / rob@iseepr.co.uk or on + 44 (0) 1943 468007
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About GlobalPlatform
GlobalPlatform is a cross industry, not-for-profit association which identifies, develops and publishes specifications which facilitate the secure and interoperable deployment and management of multiple embedded applications on secure chip technology.  Its proven technical specifications are regarded as the international industry standard for building a trusted end-to-end solution which serves multiple actors and supports several business models.

The freely available specifications provide the foundation for market convergence and innovative new cross-sector partnerships.  The technology has been adopted globally across finance, mobile/telecom, government, healthcare, retail and transit sectors.   GlobalPlatform also supports an open compliance program ecosystem to ensure the long-term interoperability of secure chip technology.

As a member-driven association with cross-market representation from all world continents, GlobalPlatform membership is open to any organization operating within this landscape.  Its 80+ members contribute to technical committees and market-led task forces.  www.globalplatform.org