Kantega
Encyclopedia
Kantega is a Norwegian
software corporation
founded in 2003 with headquarters in Oslo
. Kantega primarily develops bespoke software based on Java
and lightweight application frameworks, identity management
and digital signature
solutions based on PKI
and Web Services technology.
Kantega is a sponsor member of Liberty Alliance
and WS-I.
in 2003. However, the company can trace it roots back to Taskon
—a Norwegian IT company founded in 1986. This company developed its own object orientation methodology (OORam
) and OO design tools, which had some international success . Taskon contributed its object-oriented methodology to the Object Management Group
during the standardization process of UML
, as part of a joint standards proposal with IBM
and Ptech.
Taskon merged with Numerica in 1998, and with Internet Aksess in 1999, which had launched the world's first public mobile web
bank on 24. September 1999 using the emerging WAP
standard . In December 1999 the company was by the Nordic Internet Consultancy Mogul Group (publ.) .
The company became the first Norwegian member of WS-I in 2002. The early focus on web services technology and standards laid the foundation for a strong position in the emerging market for solutions based on Service Oriented Architecture.
In 2003 the Swedish IT group Adera (publ.) launced a public tender for the Mogul group. During the tender period the Norwegian part of the group was bought out by the employees. For a short period the restructured Norwegian company used the former name Taskon, before it changed its name to Kantega.
In 2005 Kantega created the secure web services architectures for the Norwegian government's citizen portal MyPage , which offers a unified view to personal data stored in public registers and the opportunity to submit online applications and notifications. This technology was later used as basis for a service oriented architecture for the pension fund industry, which in 2007 hired Kantega to build Norsk Pensjon , a common internet portal for all major pension funds in Norway, providing all citizens with a unified view of their personal pension holdings across all asset managers.
In 2005 Kantega became the first Norwegian member of Liberty Alliance
, signalling an increased focus on internet identity solutions. One year later Kantega created the subsidiary Kantega Secure Identity, which offered the first online identity provider service covering the Nordic countries
. In 2007 the subsidiary had received a large market share in the emerging Scandinavia
n online identity provider market, and was spun off as an independent company under the name Signicat . The successful spin-off attracted 10 mill. NOK in venture funding in 2008.
As an employee-owned company Kantega has established a strong employee brand. The global newspaper Financial Times
named Kantega on its 2007 and 2008 lists of the 100 Best Workplaces in Europe
. In 2008 the employee-owned company was also recognized as the most family-friendly workplace in Norway.
java and web services technology. Kantega uses a variety of security technologies and service oriented architecture standards in order to secure data and information exchange, such as PKI
, WS-Security
and SAML
(federated identity
).
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
software corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
founded in 2003 with headquarters in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. Kantega primarily develops bespoke software based on Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
and lightweight application frameworks, identity management
Identity management
Identity management is a broad administrative area that deals with identifying individuals in a system and controlling access to the resources in that system by placing restrictions on the established identities of the individuals.Identity management is multidisciplinary and covers many...
and digital signature
Digital signature
A digital signature or digital signature scheme is a mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital message or document. A valid digital signature gives a recipient reason to believe that the message was created by a known sender, and that it was not altered in transit...
solutions based on PKI
Public key infrastructure
Public Key Infrastructure is a set of hardware, software, people, policies, and procedures needed to create, manage, distribute, use, store, and revoke digital certificates. In cryptography, a PKI is an arrangement that binds public keys with respective user identities by means of a certificate...
and Web Services technology.
Kantega is a sponsor member of Liberty Alliance
Liberty Alliance
The Liberty Alliance was formed in September 2001 by approximately 30 organizations to establish open standards, guidelines and best practices for identity management...
and WS-I.
History
Kantega was founded as an employee-owned companyEmployee-owned corporation
An employee share ownership plan is the practice of companies giving staff members shares in their company as part of their salary....
in 2003. However, the company can trace it roots back to Taskon
Taskon
Taskon was a Norwegian IT enterprise which developed systems using object-oriented technology. The company also provided advisory and consultancy services, products, and training within the field of object-oriented systems development...
—a Norwegian IT company founded in 1986. This company developed its own object orientation methodology (OORam
Object Oriented Role Analysis Method
The Object Oriented Role Analysis and Modeling is a method, based on the concept of role, for performing object-oriented modeling. OOram is a precursor for the Unified Modeling Language ....
) and OO design tools, which had some international success . Taskon contributed its object-oriented methodology to the Object Management Group
Object Management Group
Object Management Group is a consortium, originally aimed at setting standards for distributed object-oriented systems, and is now focused on modeling and model-based standards.- Overview :...
during the standardization process of UML
Unified Modeling Language
Unified Modeling Language is a standardized general-purpose modeling language in the field of object-oriented software engineering. The standard is managed, and was created, by the Object Management Group...
, as part of a joint standards proposal with IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
and Ptech.
Taskon merged with Numerica in 1998, and with Internet Aksess in 1999, which had launched the world's first public mobile web
Mobile Web
The Mobile Web refers to the use of Internet-connected applications, or browser-based access to the Internet from a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet computer, connected to a wireless network....
bank on 24. September 1999 using the emerging WAP
Wireless Application Protocol
Wireless Application Protocol is a technical standard for accessing information over a mobile wireless network.A WAP browser is a web browser for mobile devices such as mobile phones that uses the protocol.Before the introduction of WAP, mobile service providers had limited opportunities to offer...
standard . In December 1999 the company was by the Nordic Internet Consultancy Mogul Group (publ.) .
The company became the first Norwegian member of WS-I in 2002. The early focus on web services technology and standards laid the foundation for a strong position in the emerging market for solutions based on Service Oriented Architecture.
In 2003 the Swedish IT group Adera (publ.) launced a public tender for the Mogul group. During the tender period the Norwegian part of the group was bought out by the employees. For a short period the restructured Norwegian company used the former name Taskon, before it changed its name to Kantega.
In 2005 Kantega created the secure web services architectures for the Norwegian government's citizen portal MyPage , which offers a unified view to personal data stored in public registers and the opportunity to submit online applications and notifications. This technology was later used as basis for a service oriented architecture for the pension fund industry, which in 2007 hired Kantega to build Norsk Pensjon , a common internet portal for all major pension funds in Norway, providing all citizens with a unified view of their personal pension holdings across all asset managers.
In 2005 Kantega became the first Norwegian member of Liberty Alliance
Liberty Alliance
The Liberty Alliance was formed in September 2001 by approximately 30 organizations to establish open standards, guidelines and best practices for identity management...
, signalling an increased focus on internet identity solutions. One year later Kantega created the subsidiary Kantega Secure Identity, which offered the first online identity provider service covering the Nordic countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
. In 2007 the subsidiary had received a large market share in the emerging Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n online identity provider market, and was spun off as an independent company under the name Signicat . The successful spin-off attracted 10 mill. NOK in venture funding in 2008.
As an employee-owned company Kantega has established a strong employee brand. The global newspaper Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
named Kantega on its 2007 and 2008 lists of the 100 Best Workplaces in Europe
100 Best Workplaces in Europe
100 Best Workplaces in Europe is a ranking of the 100 workplaces in Europe performed each year Financial Times, in partnership with Great Place to Work. The list is based on employee surveys and a review of the company's culture. Two thirds of the total score is from employee responses to a 57...
. In 2008 the employee-owned company was also recognized as the most family-friendly workplace in Norway.
Technology
Kantega's secure software platform is based on open sourceOpen source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
java and web services technology. Kantega uses a variety of security technologies and service oriented architecture standards in order to secure data and information exchange, such as PKI
Public key infrastructure
Public Key Infrastructure is a set of hardware, software, people, policies, and procedures needed to create, manage, distribute, use, store, and revoke digital certificates. In cryptography, a PKI is an arrangement that binds public keys with respective user identities by means of a certificate...
, WS-Security
WS-Security
WS-Security is a flexible and feature-rich extension to SOAP to apply security to web services. It is a member of the WS-* family of web service specifications and was published by OASIS....
and SAML
SAML
Security Assertion Markup Language is an XML-based open standard for exchanging authentication and authorization data between security domains, that is, between an identity provider and a service provider...
(federated identity
Federated identity
A federated identity in information technology is the means of linking a person's electronic identity and attributes, stored across multiple distinct identity management systems....
).
Services
Kantega offers end-to-end software solutions. Its service offerings include:- IT Consulting
- Application Development
- Application Management
- Managed Testing
- Software Security Review
Products
Kantega offers a variety of secure software solutions:- Kantega Secure eFinance Portal
- Kantega Secure eGovernment Portal
- Kantega Secure eUniversity Portal
- Kantega Secure Employee Portal
- Kantega Secure and Anonymous Web Communication (corporate whistleblower solution)
- Kantega Secure Identity Solution (Authentication and Digital Signature)