Lansforsakringar Bank joins BankID


STOCKHOLM, Sweden, August 22, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Lansforsakringar Bank is acquiring 10 percent of the share capital in Finansiell ID-Teknik BID AB, owner and administrator of BankID. In the beginning of 2004, Lansforsakringar Bank's customers will be able to order BankID electronically through Lansforsakringar's Internet bank. The ID functions as identification and is an electronic signature.

The infrastructure is growing and Lansforsakringar Bank is one of a number of banks that are moving in this direction.

"BankID makes it simple and secure to provide identification on the Internet. Customers place high priority on security and simplicity when they conduct their banking on the Internet," says Catharina Stromsten, Bank Market Manager at Lansforsakringar Bank. "We view this service as a condition for being able to provide customers a favorable offering for their daily financial activities."

The National Tax Board, National Social Insurance Board and the Swedish national agency for registering address changes are among the public authorities and companies that this spring were the first to offer citizens services that utilize BankID for identification and as an electronic signature over the Internet.



 For further information, contact:
 Catharina Stromsten
 Bank Market Manager, Lansforsakringar Bank        +46 (0)8-588 424 52
 catharina.stromsten@lansforsakringar.se           +46 (0)73-96 424 52

 Mikael Ostlund                                    +46 (0)8-588 410 94
 Vice President Corporate Communications 
 Lansforsakringar                                  +46 (0)70-553 12 82
 mikael.ostlund@lansforsakringar.se

 Trued Holmquist                                   +46 (0)8-411 81 50
 President, Finansiell ID-Teknik BID AB            +46 (0)70-601 21 02
 trued.holmquist@bankid.com

Bankernas ID-tjanst (BankID) is a joint bank IT-infrastructure for electronic identification and electronic signature over the Internet that is based on the PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) technical standard. The BankID network includes Svenska Handelsbanken, ForeningsSparbanken, SkandiaBanken, Danske Bank and Ikanobanken, BankID is available to any bank that has a customer-identification process that guarantees the customer's identity, and a BankID-approved Internet security solution. Using BankID, members of the public can identify themselves to government authorities, companies and organizations and even electronically sign documents. Government authorities, companies and organizations can check the identification and electronic signature using certified software.

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The following files are available for download:

http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/08/22/20030821BIT01600/wkr0001.doc

http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/08/22/20030821BIT01600/wkr0002.pdf