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Re: Datakey 32K PKI Smart Card 'FIPS 140-1 Level 2 Certified'
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>> Datakey Provides The Only 32K PKI Smart Card Validated By NIST And CSE As 'FIPS 140-1 Level 2 Certified'
smartcardcentral.com
Certification puts Datakey atop a short list of vendors able to provide smart cards to U.S. government agencies
Minneapolis, May 9, 2000 /PRNewswire/
Datakey, Inc. (Nasdaq: DKEY) (www.datakey.com), an international leader in smart card solutions for Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), today announced that its Model 330 smart card is the only 32K smart card to earn FIPS 140-1 Level 2 certification from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Canadian Communications Security Establishment (CSE). Earning FIPS certification is an important prerequisite to selling smart cards to government agencies and other organizations -- such as financial institutions -- that require stringent token-based security; it moves Datakey to the front of a short list of vendors that can supply cryptographic smart cards to the U.S. government.
FIPS 140-1 Level 2 is a government standard that specifies the necessary security requirements for a cryptographic module used to protect unclassified information. Essentially, the strength of a smart card's security is measured and validated through the FIPS 140-1 certification process. By earning FIPS 140-1 Level 2 accreditation, Datakey's smart cards provide certified security for corporations and government agencies that are deploying smart cards to protect their online communications and to enable strong user authentication to their online networks.
"Working jointly with NIST in 1991, Datakey pioneered the first cryptographic smart card used for PKI digital signatures, and earlier this year, Datakey introduced the first PKI smart card to feature 32K EEPROM storage space for multiple digital credentials and user data," said Tim Russell, vice president and general manager of Datakey's Information Security Solutions business unit. "With FIPS 140-1 Level 2 certification, Datakey is once again setting the benchmark by which all other smart cards will be measured. We're pleased to deliver to all of our customers the only 32K PKI smart card that is certified to meet stringent government-grade security requirements."
Putting FIPS 140-1 Level 2 in Perspective
The Department of Defense (DoD) has mandated that all active duty and civilian personnel use a smart card for identification purposes. In addition to ID and building access, the DoD will integrate smart cards into its PKI for strong user authentication and secure communications. The DoD has stated that its tokens must meet FIPS 140-1 Level 2 standards.
"With FIPS 140-1 Level 2 certification, we have some incredible opportunities ahead of us, especially in the U.S. government sector," said Carl Boecher, president and CEO of Datakey. "Datakey smart cards are simply the most secure way to protect a user's digital identity -- FIPS accreditation gives our customers a certified statement of this security."
About FIPS Certification and Datakey's Model 330 Smart Card
Datakey's SignaSURE Model 330 Smart Card is a complete public key cryptographic module that is ISO 7816 compliant. This module supports PKI with a highly efficient cryptographic co-processor and the DKCCOS (Datakey Cryptographic Card Operating System) v2.0 smart card operating system. The operating system is extensible and allows for the addition of new algorithms. Datakey's 32K smart card leads the industry with the most on-card EEPROM storage space for multiple digital credentials, user data and application programs. It is approved for the following algorithms:
* DES
* DSA/SHA-1
* Triple DES
Additionally, the card supports:
* RSA/SHA-1
* Diffie-Hellman Key Agreement
* ECC
For more information about Datakey's FIPS 140-1 Level 2 validation, visit the NIST Web site at csrc.nist.gov.
About Datakey, Inc.
Datakey, Inc. is a leading international provider of smart card solutions for PKI. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., the company offers a family of smart card-based information security and digital signature products under the SignaSURE(TM) umbrella. Using state-of-the-art cryptographic technology, these products fill growing market needs for secure, smart card-based user authentication and data privacy for business-to-business e-commerce. Datakey's smart card-based information security products play an integral role in any PKI system by providing two-factor security -- something that is owned (a smart card) and something that is known (a password).
Shares of Datakey's common stock are traded on Nasdaq under the symbol DKEY. You can find more information on the Datakey Web site at www.datakey.com . You can view all Datakey press releases on the Web site, at www.prnewswire.com or via fax by calling Company News On-Call at 1-800-758-5804, ext. 231950. <<
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