Increased Card Security

Brazil’s Central Bank adopts additional security measures

Protecting the physical integrity of personal and corporate information is an important task for Banco do Nordeste do Brazil (BNB), which goes above and beyond the security rules established by the Central Bank of Brazil to adopt additional security measures.

As a state financial entity that acts as a catalyzing agent for sustainable and economic development for the Northeast Region of Brazil—while offering banking services to the public in general—the institution has innumerable reasons to resort to technology for the purpose of protecting itself from threats encountered by any bank, anywhere.

At the end of 2008, BNB decided to reinforce the control system for physical access for its administrative offices in Fortaleza, Ceará. After an evaluation of a number of security devices and a rigorous selection process, the bank commissioned Brazilian integrator Interactive Tecnologia Ltda. and chose contactless smartcard solutions from HID Global.

“Our corporate security policy is based on three pillars: trustworthiness, integrity and availability. And during our market research, we found that HID is praised for these principles,” said José Boileau, executive manager of Corporate Security at BNB.

Secure by Technology

BNB found that HID’s iCLASS contactless smartcards and readers provided the high-level security and technology needed to form the ideal platform for controlling access to strategic points of the administrative offices with its Fortaleza headquarters. The legal and finance departments, the DPC and the security room had priority in the first stage of the project for a total of more than 50 controlled points.

“Banco do Nordeste has a qualified security team with a differentiated and well-directed vision to take advantage of technological innovations, and this explains why its stakeholders chose contactless smartcards and readers,” said Marcelo Antunes, of Interactive Tecnologia.

Considering the specific necessities of the bank, the integrator suggested the use of HID iCLASS R10, iCLASS RWK400 keypad readers and the iCLASS RWKLB575 biometric reader to meet the levels of security required in each area.

These devices, in conjunction with the 2-KB smartcards and software from the Brazilian manufacturer Commbox Tecnologia, replaced the old proximity system—which did not have autonomous functioning—and the software for access control, which was integrated into the pre-dial automation system.

Additionally, with the objective of raising the level of security, BNB decided to take advantage of the benefits offered by HID Global’s Corporate 1000 Program, which gives organizations the ability to standardize on a single-card solution.

The card’s credentials are programmed with a unique identification number, which is tracked during the entire production process in order to prevent duplications.

System Satisfaction

Almost two years after the implementation of the project, Boileau said he felt completely satisfied with the system.

“There have been no installation or availability problems recorded, and we have not had problems with the performance of the products. It is a robust solution,” he said.

Boileau also emphasized that the cards are used throughout the institution, both as a part of the electronic access control system to controlled environments and as employees’ photo identification credential.

“Previously, it was not possible to generate access reports since we did not have the precise information on who entered each area,” Boileau said. “Now we can analyze in detail access to various environments.”

HID are sent to an outside company that personalizes them with the data of each user.

In the coming months, the bank will issue new credentials because it has changed its visual identity.

The transparency during the system implementation and the results related to the security discipline motivated Boileau and his team to speak of the future.

“Now we have a reference point to implement a centralized system of access control in approximately 200 banking agencies across 13 states and in the federal district,” Boileau said.

With the 2014 World Cup on the horizon, BNB will face a new challenge, given its physical proximity to the platform of the games in Fortaleza. To accommodate the anticipated higher traffic, the bank will install new gates and automatic turnstiles at all of its entrance points—a step forward in security for which, according to Boileau, HID and Commbox’s solutions will be essential.

This article originally appeared in the August 2012 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • Return to Form

    My first security trade show was in 2021. At the time, I was awed by the sheer magnitude of the event and the spectacle of products on display. But this was the first major trade show coming out of the pandemic, and the only commentary I heard was how low the attendance was. Two representatives from one booth even spent the last morning playing catch in the aisle with their giveaway stress balls. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Live from ISC West: Day 1 Recap

    The first day of ISC West 2023 is in the books, and it’s safe to say that vendors have brought their A-game to Las Vegas. The booths of this year’s Live From partners—NAPCO Security, Alibi Security, Vistacom, RGB Spectrum, and DoorKing—were swamped all day long. Here’s a brief recap of just a few highlights from each partner’s presence at the show. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Turn on the AC, ISC West is Hot

    Nothing warm about the Las Vegas weather outside. It is cold, and it was raining after the opening day. No one seemed to care inside the convention center. The hall was packed with inquisitive security professionals. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Live From ISC West 2023: Day 1

    ISC West 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada, has officially begun! Make sure to keep an eye on Security Today’s ISCW Live 2023 page, as well as our associated Twitter accounts—@SecurToday and @CampusSecur—for the latest updates from the show floor at the Venetian Expo. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

Featured Cybersecurity

New Products

  • HID Signo Readers

    HID Signo Readers

    HID Global has announced its HID® Signo™ Biometric Reader 25B that is designed to capture and read fingerprints in real-world applications and conditions. 3

  • Paxton10 CORE Cameras

    Paxton10 CORE Cameras

    The new CORE Series cameras feature edge processing for ultimate scalability, built-in edge storage, and plug-and-play installation. The addition of the CORE Series gives installers new hardware, better choice, and more value than ever before. 3

  • FlexPower® Global™ Series (FPG) from LifeSafety Power

    FlexPower® Global™ Series (FPG) from LifeSafety Power

    The FlexPower® Global™ Series (FPG) from LifeSafety Power—designed to provide DC power for access control systems in international applications—is now PSE listed for Japan and compatible with the country’s 100VAC applications. 3