Indeed AirKey Enterprise

Indeed Identity is a privately held software vendor founded in 2005 and headquartered in Saint Petersburg, Russia, with additional locations in Russia and a European office in Vilnius, Lithuania. The company develops enterprise authentication and access control solutions, with a portfolio spanning smart card management, multifactor authentication, and single sign-on. Since 2009, it has served major Russian enterprises in sectors such as oil and gas, banking, and telecommunications. Its technology platform includes dozens of components, supports more than 20 authentication methods, and integrates with multiple partner technologies. A key recent addition is AirKey, a software smart card intended to replicate the full functionality of physical smart cards.

Smart cards remain central to enterprise PKI due to mature standards and deep integration with legacy applications, but organizations face pressure to modernize, improve user experience, support new device platforms, and reduce lifecycle cost and administrative overhead. Software smart cards can reduce hardware and logistics burdens, but many competing approaches suffer from weaknesses such as inadequate cryptographic strength, poor compatibility, or limited third-party integrations.

Indeed AirKey Enterprise is positioned as a server-based virtual smart card platform designed to be indistinguishable from physical smart cards through full implementation of PKCS#11 and Microsoft CryptoAPI, enabling transparent integration into existing PKI. Private keys are stored only on the server, with optional HSM-backed cryptographic operations, and clients receive only encrypted results, supporting strong resilience even when endpoints are compromised. The platform includes a server, a Windows workstation agent, a unified Card Management product for lifecycle control across virtual and physical cards (including multiple token vendors), and an optional smartphone app for iOS/Android key storage and cryptographic operations. Strengths include unified management, compatibility, and extensibility; challenges include limited market presence outside Russia, Windows-only client support, and restricted localization.

• Indeed Identity is privately held and headquartered in Saint Petersburg, Russia, with a European office in Vilnius, Lithuania.
• The company was founded in 2005 by information security experts.
• Since 2009, Indeed Identity has served large Russian enterprises including oil and gas corporations, banks, and telecommunications providers.
• The technology platform supports more than 20 authentication methods.
• AirKey Enterprise implements industry-standard APIs including PKCS#11 and Microsoft CryptoAPI.
• AirKey Enterprise is server-based and keeps private keys on the server rather than on client devices.
• AirKey Enterprise Server can be deployed on Windows Server and has no external dependencies other than an optional HSM.
• The workstation agent is currently supported only on Windows PCs.
• Indeed Card Management supports hardware from Gemalto, SafeNet, and several Russian vendors.
• AirKey Enterprise licensing requires a client access license per user issued a smart card and includes 12 months of technical support.

• “One radical approach to address these needs is to replace physical smart cards with a software-based technology.”
• “Finding the right balance between security and convenience is a tough challenge.”
• “For the operating system or any target application the AirKey virtual smart card is indistinguishable from a physical one.”
• “Blocking a compromised card is just as instant.”
• “No private keys are ever stored on clients.”
• “By ensuring that all crypto operations are performed on the server, and only the results are delivered to clients using encrypted network channels, the solution can guarantee that it cannot be compromised if a workstation is hacked or infected by malware.”
• “AirKey Enterprise Server maintains a complete audit trail of all operations with smart cards for compliance requirements or eventual forensic investigations.”
• “A connector-based architecture ensures that new integrations can be developed quickly.”
• “A role-based security model allows to segregate different tasks between administrators, helpdesk operators and ordinary users.”
• “Probably the biggest challenge the company is currently facing is gaining a foothold outside of its home market.”