Nexus Smart ID Desktop App for macOS lets you provision and manage virtual smart cards, which are hosted on your laptop. Virtual smart cards can be used via the app for macOS-related use cases, such as two-factor authentication to external resources, protection of data by secure encryption, and integrity through reliable signing. The app also incorporates smart card middleware integrating smart cards and security tokens and provides your users with intuitive two-factor authentication (2FA), digital signing, and email encryption. The smart card middleware is based on an updated version of Personal Desktop Client (Version 6) which comes completely without GUI with the purpose of acting behind Smart ID Desktop App

For a full feature list, see Features of Smart ID Desktop App (for macOS).

Virtual smart cards on your local computer helps to digitalize securely

Secure your day-to-day business

Today, most organizations need to offer their employees and other end users secure access to applications and information at all times and wherever they are. With virtual smart cards on the desktop, you get an integrated and user-friendly two-factor authentication (2FA) method. 

Save time and costs

By using Virtual Smart Cards (VSCs), end users can say goodbye to passwords while complexity, logistics and costs for the business are reduced, since the process for supplying physical smart cards, hardware tokens and smart card readers is completely obsolete. With virtual smart cards, you can take advantage of automated and purely digital processes for provisioning and management.

Ensure same level of security as for physical cards

Smart ID Desktop App for macOS is based on the Smart ID Mobile SDK for iOS with its proven security implementation. In contrast to the implementation on Windows utilizing the TPM chip, the macOS relies on a native security schema on top of hardware backed secure keychain implementation on macOS. Private keys are always stored encrypted in keychain protected by either a remote PIN validation mechanism or by operating system level biometrics. It should be noted the remote PIN validation mechanism requires connectivity to a Hermod service. 

Offer users a seamless experience

Virtual smart cards are easy to use and do not require users to carry additional physical devices with them. Users can easily get started by requesting a virtual smart card via self-service, and activating it by clicking an activation link. Using virtual smart cards in the Smart ID Desktop App offers users a seamless experience that is based on native operating system use cases by exposing the virtual smart cards using CryptoTokenKit.

Get started without delay

Since there is no need to distribute physical cards or tokens, it is quick and easy for an organization to get started with virtual smart cards. Smart ID Desktop App lets you provision and manage virtual smart cards, that can be used for macOS-related use cases, such as two-factor authentication to external resources, protection of data by secure encryption, and integrity through reliable signing. The app is downloaded via Nexus support portal. 

Use Smart ID Desktop App with physical smart cards

Smart ID Desktop App for macOS comes integrated with Nexus smart card middleware which means that all smart cards and corresponding card profiles natively supported by the middleware are visualized and managed by the App. 

Manage the lifecycle of tokens

The Smart ID Desktop App is integrated into Nexus' Smart ID solution that includes standard workflows, self-service and automation for easily manage on- and offboarding, enrollment of certificates and common use cases throughout the lifecycle. 

The Identity Manager, which is included in the Smart ID solution, gives a good overview of current users, virtual smart cards and other tokens. By using a public REST API, the solution can also be integrated into other vendors’ infrastructure.

One-time passwords (OTP)

The Smart ID Desktop App supports time-based and event-based one-time passwords (OTP). A one-time password (OTP) is a temporary and unique passcode, that is generated by an algorithm to authenticate users to digital resources. See Set up an OATH-compliant mobile/desktop app as authentication method for more information. Additionally, Smart ID Desktop App also supports secure OATH activation. See Set up Secure activation for OATH for more information.