ChevronTexaco has is joining the smart card set. The multinational oil company is to replace online passwords with the cards and smart tokens.

Between 2,000 and 4,000 passwords are reset each month. Over 70,000 employees will receive a new card by the end of the year. The company hopes to slash helpdesk costs and improve security at the same time.

Schlumberger and RSA are supplying the cards and tokens respectively. The new system will have to handle new employees IT access, issue digital signatures and control application access.

The cards are 32K Java. A proximity sensor will allow the user to log on to PCs via remote card reader. The tokens have one time passcodes. Business partners and staff will access the ChevronTexaco network through their own systems.

Technological hurdles include ensuring employees in remote parts of the world can use access applications, over less than desirable low capacity satellite links.

Additionally a lot of applications will have to be re-written to interface with the new security framework.

The move follows a move to smart card identity authentication by the US government.

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