To All - this post is from the Jaws website - it's basically a Q & A and, IMO, has alot of good information (some is a little dated re: the contest) Text is below, the link is jawstech.com
Barrie Einarson
bbruin@home.com
The Company and Its Future
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What is JAWS and Encryption all about? ÿ First, encryption in simple terms, is the science of applying mathematical algorithms to data in a way that the information is unusable for everyone accept the intended user.
JAWS Technologies is in the business of providing information security solutions of which encryption plays a solid role. Enormous expansion has occurred in the area of open computing with only a fractional effort by industry to compensate for the insecurity of the system.
Our core product, JAWS L5 Data Encryption, which is the strongest reported encryption software, was developed to help industry and individuals achieve maximum privacy and protection. But it doesn't stop there. Product enhancements, management systems, compression technology, hardware driven solutions and education are all in the works at JAWS.
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Where do you see your company going? ÿ When you start with the worlds strongest product, it becomes very easy to build on that success. We are extremely excited about our industry and our future. What our clients are asking from us is incredibly motivating and when you guide your company on what the customer needs are and not what you decide they should have, your company has nowhere to go but up.
Joint ventures with other strategic developers like compression engineers, cellular and satellite communication companies, smart card developers and many other projects are all underway.
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What is encryption technology? ÿ We would prefer to call it information security solutions. Our products are much more than just encryption. Encryption in simple terms is the science of applying algorithms to data in a way that the information is unusable for anyone else but the intended user.
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What is your vision for the company? ÿ We are well financed and our management team is second to none. We are clearly focused on and imbedded in one of the most exciting technical industries today and intend to bring to the world market leading security solutions, managed properly and growth oriented.
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What is the corporate structure? ÿ Management and employees own approximately 50% of the company.
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What can you tell me about the competition? ÿ A handful of companies are doing extremely well in the markets. Very interesting products are being distributed and we need more competition. The consumer and industry are starved for good solid solutions to their security problems.
The markets also recognize the growth in this industry. Of our competitors that are publicly traded we see them supporting market prices well above $20 with fantastic market caps. Certicom, Verisign, Network Associates and Security Dynamics are just a few who are doing very well in our industry and in the markets.
Our current price is directly a reflection of our very quiet approach to the market up to this point. We're now ready to move forward and open it up. We're extremely well positioned as far as the market is concerned and none of our competitors have ever been able to offer this type of buying opportunity. If you simply compare our product to theirs and the size of the market, then look at our float and compare it to today's price, you can quickly see where our price is headed.
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Is this a short lived industry or what happens when the big guns like Microsoft decide to get in the security game? ÿ The enormous industry creating the open computing phenomena hasn't stopped its massive growth and I don't believe this will ever end. As long as industry continues to demand higher levels of computing power, data storage and communication capabilities, security will always be the limiting factor. Industry may trust Microsoft to deliver many quality products but I don't believe industry is ready to give Bill the keys to the office.
The Management and Technologists
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Tell me about the management. ÿ We have the perfect blend of high-end business management, administration, marketing and security scientist. Sometimes the team amazes me as to how well they work together, given the differences between business and science.
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How do you go about developing this sort of software? ÿ Necessity is the mother of invention. Substantial security breaches have created the need for developers to create these types of products to protect all of us. We are sure the same question was asked of the first lock smith.
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What is your expertise? ÿ Our team is built around top level professionals in their own disciplines from marketing to software development through to management.
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Isn't it just one developer who created the software and what if you lose him? ÿ That is where the product started but it has taken a team to get it to where it is today and no one individual has control over the company or product.
How long did it take to make this product? ÿ The original programmer has been working on the product for about 17 years. Keep in mind, software development is always a work in progress with enhancements, new levels of security, usability and speed.
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How old is the inventor? ÿ The original programmer is in his late 20's and is considered a prodigy.
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Is it true that when you look for programmers you would look for the hacker type? ÿ We look for skilled mathematic and systems experts who understand what the hacker may attempt but more importantly, approach the problem from a proactive vision.
The $5 Million Challenge
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Tell us what the $5,000,000 Challenge is all about? ÿ We could think of no better way to prove to the industry and the consumer just how powerful this product is.
In addition to our independent engineering report by SNC Kilborn Western Inc. we believed it was important to invite our peers and industry experts to help us prove our point.
There is no better way to prove our commitment to this security product.
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What happens if someone breaks the code and wins the $5,000,000? ÿ The person gets paid out by our insurance underwriters. The payment is a 20 year annuity.
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But what if it is broken? What happens to the financial position of the company? ÿ Financially we have protected the company, from a marketing perspective we would have to reevaluate our position. However, we feel so strong about our encryption technology that we do not believe that it is possible to break.
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What would it take to break the code? ÿ We estimate that if you tied together all the computers in the world and worked on it for hundreds of years you would still not break the code.
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Could the CIA, FBI, NSA or the government break this code? ÿ Based on what we know about the strength of our encryption and current technology, the challenge is still impossible.
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We understand that any code can be broken? ÿ They say there is no such thing as unbreakable. It is always a function of time and money. Given billions of dollars for equipment and hundreds or even thousands of years of round the clock effort, many codes can be broken. This is where the term statistically unbreakable comes from.
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Who is they? ÿ Theorists, mathematicians, professors that contemplate probability.
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What type of people will take on a challenge like this? ÿ We believe that anyone with an interest in information security or a background in computer sciences. Maybe even government departments.
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What type of testing did the insurance company perform on this software? ÿ Our industry is full of statistics surrounding strong encryption including probability studies. This type of due diligence work was done by the insurance company. We provided them with the internal company studies and evaluations.
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Would the people in the office know how to break the code or win the contest? ÿ No, good security software does not allow for this. In addition Ernst and Young has manage the security protocol for this contest.
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We heard that this software is different than any other products, faster, stronger? ÿ Our product is the strongest reported encryption, very easy to use and exceptionally fast.
The Computer Game,
The Need for Protection & the Market
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If it's the newest thing out there, it must be unproven? ÿ The mathematics behind the encryption is sound. We commissioned the engineering report and launched the contest because we want our customers to have absolute confidence in our product.
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Is it going to be in Future Shop or retail stores soon? ÿ Our product is industrial strength intended for industrial use. We are currently working on retail versions and are excited to report that we have already negotiated a significant retail distribution contract with a national distribution channel.
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What type of testing did you perform on this software? ÿ In addition to seven years of product development, we used SNC Kilborn Western Inc. to perform an evaluation over a one year period.
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Who are those companies? ÿ We asked Alberta Research Counsel to provide us with the probability numbers, SNC Kilborn Western Inc was retained to examine the actual code work, processes, functionality and purity of our product.
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Why do we need this? ÿ The criminal world has awakened to the new computer frontier. We are the locks and bars for your information. If your information is not protected with JAWS L5 Data Encryption, it's anyone's information.
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Just how strong is this program? ÿ In today's terms, it would take the strongest computers in the world to work in tandem for hundreds of years to break the code.
The challenge is continuing to grow at the same rate that computer power is growing and remaining well ahead of their power.
If we showed you the size of the probability number you would be astounded and probably not relate to such a number.
But we are safe in saying you would need to hit a hole-in-one on a 150 yard tee over 1000 times consecutively.
It would take seven times the age of the universe with today's computer power to break the code.
You could cover the earth three feet deep with golf balls to equal the number of permutations.
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But how much damage can anyone really do? ÿ The Pentagon reported that their special computer task force has discovered enormous weakness in the computer world including their own. They suggest that even national power grids are exposed to terrorism. If this is the case what about your bank account or personal medical records, passport information, family information, tax returns. I think a physical intrusion into my personal information would be better than a cyberintrusion. At least there would be evidence that something had been taken.
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Is there much hacking going on these days? ÿ FBI reports that only a small fraction of computer crimes are reported by corporations due to perceived weakness in their companies. Even at that, the reported incidents are staggering. There are web sites dedicated to disclosing those incidents.
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Could you use your talents to break into CSIS, FBI? ÿ No, our discipline is in the protection of data, not hacking into others information. We would understand how they may have gained access but we have no interest in attempting such an act.
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I heard that there are laws prohibiting this type of software? ÿ Every industry has guidelines and laws. We have ensured that in our particular industry we are respectful of our own legal circumstances.
Security is a serious subject, the products used for security must also mirror the size of the threat and the lawmakers will always be involved. Those are realities of our business.
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