AudioTel Selects AXCESS RFID Solution to Protect Financial Data

July 19, 2006
Automatic solution increases security for AudioTel financial customers

DALLAS, TX, July 18, 2006 – AXCESS International Inc. (OTCBB: AXSI), a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solutions and Real Time Location Systems (RTLS), announces the installation of their ActiveTag RFID physical computer asset protection solution at AudioTel Corporation, a leading provider of software for financial institutions. AudioTel chose AXCESS for the high security implementation following a qualification process based on five best practices related to its managing and securing of critical computer assets which hold financial data. In addition to enabling best-in-class customer service, the AXCESS solution helps comply with federal and state laws which necessitate the development of an IT best practice in the organization for managing computer assets and the notification to individuals if personal privacy data may have been compromised.

AudioTel specializes in software, back-office and retail banking platform solutions for financial institutions. The firm services over 1,000 financial institutions with payment processing including digital, image-based solutions as well as web hosting for remote banking. The firm chose AXCESS’ ActiveTag solution because it wanted an automated way to provide visibility, accountability, and increased security for data pertaining to institutional and retail banking customers.

”We are committed to providing our customers the best security service possible. This has been achieved while enjoying the benefits of automation and organizational efficiency that is now available through the latest in technological innovation,” commented Rick Stadel, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of AudioTel. “We believe AXCESS’ unique RFID solution exceeded our needs in combining five distinctive best practices into one comprehensive implementation, including management, control, security, and accountability of all computer hardware and media. The end result is that we now have a more systematic process to provide the highest level of control which ensures that all customer account information remains secure.”

The installation for AudioTel enables tracking vehicle, personnel, and assets using active RFID technologies. The system utilizes a common software platform which provides real time, labor free information, automated control, and security. The integrated system ensures that security rules are followed, such as AudioTel’s existing “two-man rule” which now uses RFID badges to verify that two authorized personnel perform data back-ups of transaction and records within data storage facility. In addition to the tracking of personnel and required work assignments intended to maximize the preservation and integrity of customer information, the data storage tapes are secured with AXCESS FOB tags to ensure the proper personnel are in the room and managing the tapes.

“The evolution of institutions into the current data centric business environment necessitates a corresponding evolution of IT security solutions in concert. An electronic, automatic asset management and protection solution is the only way to have true real time visibility into the status of computer hardware and the records residing there,” commented Allan Griebenow, President & CEO of AXCESS International Inc. “AudioTel was proactive in implementing a state of the art and comprehensive security and data management system for the protection of its most important asset – its customers.”

The AXCESS solution implemented for AudioTel addresses the problem of preventing theft or loss of personal records by offering individual asset tracking and protection, dynamic wireless custodian assignments to assets, complete reports, and wireless alerting to exception-based security events.

One key to the reliability of the solution is AXCESS’ battery powered RFID tags which generate strong signals to enable metal encased computers to be identified even when hidden, which is far superior to passive RFID and bar code systems which require some form of line-of-site recognition. When AXCESS’ semi-active RFID asset tags are placed on fixed desktops, servers, and storage devices as well as on mobile assets such as laptops, the tags are activated on-demand to transmit their ID at key control points such as doorways. Integral to the system’s accuracy is the localized tag activation field which uses the Company’s new Dual Activator tag activation product to precisely identify assets at specific points in and around the enterprise. The Dual Activator is unique within RFID technology in being able to determine with certainty whether an asset is in or out of a secured area, which delivers actionable intelligence through which a reliable security response can be determined and initiated.

The tags transmit to low cost network-based receivers which pass the tag IDs to the AXCESS software and database to record their location, who moved it, and whether their movement is authorized. Individual custodians such as computer administrators and authorized employees can also be tagged to provide an automatic, electronic custodial assignment for accountability and to freely move assets around the facility as needed without triggering an alarm. This process of Functional Linkage can be dynamically changed to further facilitate the movement of assets without adversely impacting productivity. Assets can also be regularly inventoried using beaconing transmissions. Alarms are automatically triggered if an asset leaves a controlled area without authorization. Doors can then be automatically locked, and typically wireless alerts are sent to security and responders to recover the asset before it leaves the premises.

AXCESS’ patented ActiveTag RFID systems use small, battery powered tags (generically called “semi-active” tags) that when automatically activated, transmit a wireless message typically 30 to 100 feet to hidden palm size receivers. The receivers are connected via standard network simultaneously to the enterprise system software, the existing security alarm equipment, and standalone management software. Optionally, the tag system can be used to trigger security video recording and live remote video transmission. The tags are used for a variety of enterprise productivity applications including automatic personnel access control and tracking, automatic vehicle access control and payload management, automatic asset management and protection, as well as special purpose sensing. Automatic email alerting and paging is offered for rapid response to security related incidents.

More information, including a white paper on the ROI metrics for the system is available from the Company’s web site at www.axcessinc.com.