SafeNet Partners with Texas Instruments to Secure Wireless Mobile Devices - Brief Article

Wireless Internet, July, 2001

SafeNet, a provider of Internet security that is the de facto standard in the VPN industry, announced that it has been chosen to partner with Texas Instruments (TI) to provide a new wireless security library for next-generation (2.5 and 3G) wireless devices. SafeNet's encryption technology, combined with TI's DSP-based OMAP family of processors, will enable the strongest security for next-generation wireless devices including personal digital assistants, cell phones, and pagers. The OMAP architecture is fast becoming a de facto standard for 2.5 and 3G wireless devices. Today, TI's OMAP architecture has been publicly endorsed by Nokia, Ericsson, Sony, Sendo, HTC, Symbian, Microsoft, and Sun Microsystems.

SafeNet, utilizing its SecureIP technology, will provide a complete suite of encryption solutions for the OMAP platform ranging from low-end software-only, to software with hardware asset, and high-end integrated security modules consisting of hardware-based encryption engines for high-speed, compute-intensive cryptographic functions.

"This is an important step in our entry into the wireless market. We are very excited to be teaming with Texas Instruments, the leader in the wireless semiconductor market," said Anthony A. Caputo, chairman and CEO of SafeNet. "We feel very gratified that after an extensive search for encryption solutions, TI chose SafeNet SecureIP technology as part of its wireless security library."

SafeNet will supply its SecureIP advanced security technology to the Texas Instruments security library through several key components including:

- Symmetric encryption: DES, 3DES, AES;

- Asymmetric encryption: RSA, DSA;

- Message hashing: SHA-1. MD5;

- Pseudo random number generator -- software only;

- True random number generator -- hardware;

- Protected memory;

- Key management; and

- Complete IPSec packet processing.

"TI's advanced wireless security library enables complete security solutions, safeguarding the consumer, service, and content providers," said David Potts, OMAP worldwide applications and m-commerce manager for Texas Instruments. "By working with SafeNet and other security leaders, TI's comprehensive portfolio of hardware and software security solutions will provide handset manufacturers and wireless service providers the most complete security solution on the market today."