CGTOKEN: Standalone device with a secure element that communicates via NFC and Bluetooth

Mobile IT security firm Certgate and online security provider Reiner SCT have developed the cgToken, a keyring-sized device that makes use of both NFC and Bluetooth to enable enterprises to provide standardised authentication solutions to their employees.

"The NFC side can communicate with any NFC capable device, while the Bluetooth side can be connected to any host with internet, and the secure element can talk to both interfaces," Certgate's head of technology Jian Wang told NFC World.

"The NFC implementation means the cgToken can act like a dual interface card such as a contactless debit card. So the NFC antenna allows the token to be used like a traditional plastic card while the Bluetooth allows the secure element to be configured from a mobile phone, which in turn would receive information over the air."

"Basically, the cgToken is designed for those businesses who want to be independent from a certain device and have a standardised way of operating encrypted email access and access control," adds head of sales Andreas Kupfer.

"Historically, Certgate comes from the microSD card business, we were the first worldwide to use a microSD card as a smart card," Wang continues.

"With that solution, we could at least provide services to phones with a microSD card slot but now, for example with Apple products, there is no microSD slot and especially in management iPhones and iPads are used heavily.

"The cgToken could of course also be used for payments on the iPhone, which obviously doesn't have NFC. We actually had a demo case based on another product called cgSleeve — a case for the iPhone 4 and 4S that showed that it's possible to do payments and authorisation on the iPhone."

"We also made sure to include Bluetooth 2.0 support for older devices that don't support the newer Bluetooth 4.0 LE, so they are both possibilities," adds Kupfer. "It's ideal for use as a keyring, it's very easy to transport and you can have it every time you're out in the field."

The cgToken is now under test with a small group of users and a commercial launch is expected in the autumn.