Sonera SmartTrust Expands its WAP Security Solutions to Services Based on the Emerging WAP Standards
HELSINKI, Finland, April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Sonera SmartTrust Ltd. announced the extension of its comprehensive family of security products to cover also the emerging WAP security standards. The SmartTrust product family now covers also Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS) service integration ensuring data confidentiality, and Wireless Identification Module (WIM) support for user authentication according to the new WAP standards. Sonera SmartTrust provides wireless Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) security to current GSM networks and phones. It made a world-first demonstration of a high level PKI transaction security in WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) phones already in October at Telecom 99. This wireless PKI solution can be used today by WAP users around the world.
Sonera SmartTrust's strategy is to extend the availability of the high level of PKI transaction security and tamper-proof mobile identity to new user environments to allow a growing number of wireless users to conduct business over wireless networks. Consistent with this strategy, SmartTrust now extends its security solutions to yet another fast-growing group of users and wireless service providers. SmartTrust solutions enable corporations and mobile operators to provide secure mobile commerce services to the largest addressable market possible and thereby reap the benefits of wide-scale mobile commerce quickly.
Currently SmartTrust security solutions can already be used to reach a huge amount of mobile consumers, estimated to exceed 200 million by the end of this year, using WAP and STK phones. The extended set of WAP compliant SmartTrust products, SmartSignature client and the SmartSecurity server, will be available starting from Q2 of 2000 for trials and more widely in the second half of the year when the first WAP1.2 handsets supporting the WIM functionality are estimated to enter the market. SmartTrust's SmartSecurity server will also support all standard WIM clients from any security solution provider, once again ensuring that the same standards-based wireless PKI infrastructure from SmartTrust can service a maximum number of mobile users. The SmartSecurity server will also be made available to WAP server technology providers so that they will be able to provide complete integrated product offerings to their corporate and mobile operator customers.
SmartTrust security solutions are fully compatible with the Wireless PKI standards defined by the WAP Forum. "These innovative solutions for WAP security fit perfectly into SmartTrust's portfolio, as they support the existing operations of client companies and help them create entirely new WAP-based highly secure wireless network services, that would have been hard to imagine just a few years ago. In particular, the banking and finance sector is very interested in the business benefits provided by WAP, Wireless PKI and digital signature concepts, because their services and customer focus is rapidly shifting to the Internet and wireless devices. They require highly sophisticated security solutions to be able to move their mission critical businesses to digital networks", said Harri Vatanen, CEO and President of Sonera SmartTrust.
The demand for secure electronic signature technologies in WAP environment spans a variety of industries. Companies in virtual banking, e-commerce, logistics as well as the travel industry, insurance companies and the public services are especially interested in this development. Now a totally new range of services can be developed for customers and used without any restrictions on network environment.
"The wireless e-commerce market is expected to grow fast. Mobile devices will be the future platform for financial institutions and other service providers to reach a vast majority of consumers. Security technologies, which are based on open platforms such as WAP and PKI, will create a mass market for wireless e-commerce. We welcome Sonera SmartTrust's approach to support WAP security thus contributing to building a unified open global platform for wireless e-commerce", said Dr J.T. Bergqvist, Senior Vice President of Nokia Networks.
Nokia estimates that by the end of 2002 there will be around one billion mobile subscribers. Furthermore, the number of web-enabled handsets is expected to surpass the number of Internet connected PCs by the end of 2003. This will attract businesses to develop new secure wireless communication services for all network environments. Solutions based on secure open standards of communications will provide new business opportunities for service providers as well as software and systems developers.
"The extension of the SmartTrust product family to embrace the recently specified security standards for WAP is applicable to any wireless service, which call for strong user authentication and data confidentiality. SmartTrust now has security solutions, which open a huge market potential through both WAP and STK Toolkit phones. Our product family is a complete solution for corporations, mobile operators and end-users. It brings digital signatures and transport layer encryption for transactions enabling non-repudiation", said Mr. Timo T. Laaksonen, Senior Vice President of Sonera SmartTrust.
Wireless security technology developed by Sonera, meets the most stringent personal identification requirements and is based on PKI, which has significant advantages over the currently used systems. PKI is supported by the world's leading banking and financial institutions, such as Chase Manhattan, Citigroup and Deutsche Bank and Radicchio, a consortium of companies promoting Wireless PKI. Radicchio's most recent members now include Across Wireless AB, Baltimore Technologies, CYLINK Corporation, EDS, Entrust Technologies, Ericsson, Gemplus, Gray Cell Inc., iD2 Technologies, Lucent Technologies, MasterCard International, Mobile Telephone Networks, NTT DATA Corporation, Saraide, Sonera SmartTrust, Synamic Limited, VeriSign Inc., Virgin Mobile, Visa International and Vodafone Airtouch. Motorola, Nokia and Ericsson have also jointly announced their support to the development of wireless PKI as the platform for mobile commerce security.
Sonera SmartTrust aims to bring the capability of conducting secure transactions to the maximum number of wireless users. The key hallmark for these services is that they are easy to use while providing high-value for the consumers. To implement PKI systems in the wireless environment a host of different technologies and components is required. Sonera SmartTrust uses standard technologies and works actively in collaboration with other leading companies in the field. About Sonera SmartTrust
Sonera SmartTrust Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sonera, is a global leader in wireless e-commerce services and solutions based on Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). Sonera SmartTrust is a founding member of the global initiative Radicchio. More information on Sonera SmartTrust to be found at smarttrust.com. About Sonera
Sonera Corporation (Nasdaq: SNRA; Helsinki: SRA) is an international forerunner in mobile communications and mobile-based services and applications. By combining its expertise in mobile communications, the Internet and service provision, Sonera aims to develop into a global communications operator and provider of transaction and content services. In 1999, Sonera's revenues amounted to EUR 1.85 billion and profit before extraordinary items and taxes was EUR 0.5 billion. Information about Sonera can be found on the Internet at sonera.com.
/CONTACT: Sari Laitinen, PR Manager of Sonera SmartTrust, +358-40-511-8108, sari.laitinen@sonera.com/
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