Ciggie giant signs up for ID management

UK tobacco giant Gallaher, the company behind brands such as Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut, has announced plans to roll out ID management technology from ActivIdentity to ensure workers have secure access to key systems - whether sat at their desks or out in the field visiting tobacco facilities.

Staff will be equipped with smartcards and token-based, single sign-on technology - while business partners, such as consultants working out in the field, will carry just the tokens, which are seen as being better-suited to mobile workers.

Blandine Marcelin, group chief technical architect at Gallaher, told silicon.com mobility and flexibility were the two main considerations in deciding upon the strategy.

Marcelin said: "This means our users with any authorised device can access the network."

Marcelin said the system is currently in a pilot stage with around 60 users up and running.

Over the next month that will be ramped up to 1,000, she said. By the time the project is complete 2,500 remote workers will be enabled.