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I think tho ads are geared towards that board. If you do a google search for Wave you occasionally get the same ads in the column as well. I would not read anything more into it than that.
Dave
ZZT anytime that is brought we ALWAYS here about how Wave doesn't want to be overstepping it's boundries, making it's partners look bad, doing something one of it's partners doesn't want done at this time. I would hope that when the time comes and most PC's are tpm compliant and the majority of those can run Wave's stuff that should be a problem anymore
Dave
Goin Fishin
There, as you and Nick both stated, is the problem. Which way will these companies turn? While this continues going forward, other companies slide there solutions under the door. It dosen't matter if it is the best, first, or worst. What matters at this point is that it is available. Factor in how many people have no concept of what computer security should look like-"you mean my ad aware and spam protection aren't enough?" crowd, and these offerings suit those folks needs. It does not help that Dell and the others aren't promoting as hard as they could. It certainly doesn't help Wave when we have zero mainstream press coverage about what their products can do. There are tons of PC's sold every year, but what we on this board continue to overlook- except for this statement "it has to be invisible, seemless"- and forget is that a great majority of folks are computer illiterate, using their own personal PC for little more than e-mail. Look at most people in a workplace. Other than inter office mail, e-mail and a program that is specific to their everyday work tasks most are clueless. I think this fact gets lost of most people in this industry because they are around it everyday. Not to pick on anyone, but we even see it here with the inabillity to copy and past an article. The benefits of this product need to be touted in the mainstream press and hopefully, HOPEFULLY, with the impending release of Vista and the Seagate FDE drives there should- be no reason that this company has a cloak over it anymore. If it still operates in this fashion come next summer everyone here needs to question why they stayed around so long.
Dave
Speculative should not even be in the vocabulary anymore. I'm not being facetious either. We can no longer have it both ways. You cannot the leading voice in a paradigm change group:Berger and the TCG. You absolutely cannot claim to be speculative when Seagate is banking it's newest and greatest drives with your tech all up in it. You can't be speculative when you are a big part of the motherboard offerings from Intel. You cannot be speculative when Dell is integrating you , as is Gateway and others. Their tech, WAVES tech and their fingerprints are all over this shift in a big way. The only speculation left is wether Wave is going to see this through. I think the technology is a done deal- you can almost see that writing on the wall. Yet the debate about wether or not this company will misstep or bring it home still rages. That is the only speculation here, not the tech or the adoption of this technology. That's where the speculation lies still after all this time. And that, in spite or despite of , all this company and it's shareholders has gone through might be the biggest damn shame of all.
Dave
The release of the FDE drives alone in 2007 shold be enough to keep everyone at least seated.
Dave
Wanting it now . By the number of people represented on these boards that have been here for years on end, "want it now" hardly describes any of these folks. Disappointed, Nervous sure. Maybe some of the bashers on the other boards, but hardly the way I would describe anyone here. Last thing I would do if I "wanted it now" would be to hang around a stock that has, for the most part, depreciated in value year after year and went through a reverse split.
Don't look at this as bashing either. This is a board for discussion of Wave stock and DD. Many of the things that have happened for better or worse are germaine to where we are at today and where the share price is. Any DD should include these things warts and all, that's what good DD is all about, not fanatsyland all is great all is good. There are plenty of good things going on around this company as well-increasing revs, product becoming more widely available etc. The crticism being lobbed at SKS is justified IMO, because it is on the record. Things have happened beyond the companies control for sure, but they have done a piss poor job of infrorming shareholders of the why's and how's-if at all- and then it's long after the fact. This certainly hasn't helped matters. Example, are there other enterprises beside Papa Gino's that are using the product, why hasn't other members of the TCG implemented Wave's solutions and made it public, for that matter whay hasn't Wave released a PR on how they are using the product themselves and the benefits thay have reaped from it. For that alot of blame can be heaped at the company. If they wanted to avoid this type of scrutiny maybe the company should have been taken private. These questions should continue to be asked by the likes of AWk and others. And this has nothing to do with an us or them mentality, your either with Wave no questions asked, or against them. These are the types of questions every share holder should want answered. This is an equity, not a personal possesion, religion or something that needs to be coddled and protected, it is a financial tool which all of us hope to use that tool for our benefit. The fact that some question how the company gets to that point shouldn't be the issue, if there are legitimate issues being questioned.
Dave
G & D Wave connection
Giesecke & Devrient and Wave Systems announce strategic partnership
Thursday, April 14 2005
Giesecke & Devrient and Wave Systems have created a strategic alliance to address the organizations' joint development activities in smart card technology and trusted computing software. Their aim is to leverage smart card technology and Trusted Platform Module-associated software to offer industry and government clients a comprehensive and flexible security solution.
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MUNICH, Germany & LEE, Mass.--Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) and Wave Systems Corp. have formed a strategic alliance to offer an enhanced security solution to address the trusted computing market.
In the IT sector, high complexity and a wide spectrum of applications are boosting the demand for security solutions among private users and businesses alike. The challenge is to devise comprehensive solutions that can satisfy customers' security needs. Increasingly, what are known as Trusted Platform Modules (TPM) are being incorporated into personal computers for a more trustworthy computing environment. The TPM is a processor that is integrated into the PC motherboard as a separate chip. Use of smart card technology adds a further component to the security solution by serving as a key to the computer, preventing unauthorized access to system and data. G&D and Wave Systems have formed a strategic alliance to market a comprehensive security solution that integrates both components.
The G&D-Wave Systems collaboration will address the organizations' joint development activities in the fields of smart card technology and trusted computing software. The aim is to leverage the combination of smart card technology and TPM associated software to offer clients in industry and government a comprehensive, flexible and easy-to-use security solution.
Both partners are members of the Trusted Computing Group (TCG), an organization founded in 2003 by leading enterprises in the IT sector to develop open standards for a new generation of secure hardware and software products in virtually all application areas. "Multifactor authentication enabled by systems with TPMs and with smart cards helps IT managers further secure systems and data in the enterprise," said Brian Berger, TCG marketing work group chair. "The increasing availability and usage of systems with TPMs has enabled a number of security innovations that will help both IT and users."
In a secure platform environment, the TPM's task is to protect and generate secret keys and store system configurations safely. The TPM also functions as a hardware-based security mechanism that prevents system changes caused by virus attacks. "The combination of trusted computing with smart card technology shows a lot of complementary advantages. As an integrated part of the motherboard, trusted platform modules provide an early integrity control from software and hardware as well as identity control of the entire PC system. The addition of chip card technology, e.g. as smart card or smart USB token, enables portable user identification to achieve a reliable and flexible security solution," said Andreas Raeschmeier, Head of Business Development at G&D.
Using smart card technology ensures that only users who can authenticate themselves with a card or token, plus the associated PIN, can gain access to the computer or network. "Smart card technology is flexible and easy to use. Users only have to enter a four-digit PIN instead of a 20-digit passphrase. Possession of the card and knowledge of the PIN provide maximum security, and are user-friendly as well," said Andreas Raeschmeier, pointing out the advantages of smart card technology.
IT security departments have different security requirements, extending from protection of sensitive data and access control through hard disk encryption to management of hardware and software configuration. For each of these requirements, the trusted platform module can provide valuable support.
"Wave is pleased to be partnering with G&D, a leader in the smart card market, which has strong established relationships in enterprise and government markets in Europe and beyond," said Steven Sprague, Wave System's president and CEO. "We believe G&D's technology leadership can help further the adoption of trusted computing solutions in these geographical and business markets."
Wave's EMBASSY Trust Suite (ETS) secure software capabilities being demonstrated with G&D at CardTech SecurTech include security policy management, key archive and management, digital signature, file and folder encryption, secure email, secure wireless authentication and storage and automation of user names, passwords and personal information.
About Giesecke & Devrient
Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) is a technology leader in the field of smart cards, providing smart card based solutions for the areas of telecommunications, electronic payment, health care, ID, transportation, and IT security (PKI). G&D is also a leading producer of banknotes and security documents, and dominant in the field of currency automation.
Based in Munich, Germany, the G&D Group operates subsidiaries and joint ventures around the world. In fiscal 2003, the group employed some 6800 people and generated revenue of EUR 1.05 billion. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.gi-de.com.
About Wave Systems
Consumers and businesses are demanding a computing environment that is more trusted, private, safe and secure. Wave is a leader in delivering trusted computing applications and services with advanced products, infrastructure and solutions across multiple trusted platforms from a variety of vendors. Wave holds a portfolio of significant fundamental patents in security and e-commerce applications and employs some of the world's leading security systems architects and engineers. For more information about Wave, visit www.wave.com.
Giesecke & Devrient news
Thailand bank goes EMV with G&D
Friday, December 1 2006
Thailand's Siam City Bank is deploying EMV cards from G&D using the company's Universal Production Platform (UPP), an EMV personalization solution that supports multiple chip platforms.
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Giesecke & Devrient and Chan Wanich Security Printing supply MasterCard and Visa EMV cards personalized with G&D’s Universal Production Platform (UPP)
Bangkok, Munich, November 29, 2006 - For the migration of its banking cards to the EMV standard, Siam City Bank (SCIB), one of Thailand’s largest financial institutions, selected a solution provided by local card company Chan Wanich Security Printing (CSP) in cooperation with international smart card technology company, Giesecke & Devrient (G&D). After working on a tight schedule, the first Visa and MasterCard EMV cards were issued to the bank’s customers in early November. Key to the timely launch was the use of G&D’s Universal Production Platform (UPP), a flexible EMV personalization solution supporting a wide selection of chip platforms and speedy customization to CSP’s specific production environment.
“We made the decision exclusively for the complete package from G&D and CSP because we were very positive about the expertise of both smart card companies. G&D has already successfully carried out several timely EMV migration projects in Thailand and throughout Southeast Asia and CSP has excellent local card production capabilities. Now, after the successful completion of the launch phase, we are pleased that our decision has been fully validated,” said Virach Paisitsavet, Senior Vice President of Cards Operations Department of Siam City Bank.
Personalization with UPP
G&D’s chip modules, based on G&D’s card operating systems StarDC Master and StarDC Visa, are personalized at Chan Wanich on their machines, which run G&D’s UPP software. UPP is designed for different EMV chip platforms to be used on different personalization equipment. That significantly reduces the need to adapt chip applications for different machines. UPP not only manages chip applications from the banking segment, but also others such as GSM or ID card applications if required. UPP is interfaced with key management and data generation systems, and with the different production and inspection machines.
“We were very well primed for the Siam City Bank order with the introduction of G&D’s UPP solution, and the high level of openness of the software towards different machine types gives us the largest leeway possible for future EMV projects,” commented Thanapol Kongboonma, Executive Vice President of Chan Wanich.
“We are pleased to have won and being realizing this project with our partner CSP. The close teamwork between the two companies enabled on-time delivery for SCIB’s EMV launch, and we look forward to further joint projects in the future,” confirmed Donald MacDonald, Managing Director of G&D Asia.
About Giesecke & Devrient
Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) is a technology leader in the field of smart cards, providing smart card based solutions for telecommunications, electronic payment, health care, ID, transportation, and IT security (PKI). G&D is also a leading producer of banknotes and security documents and is dominant in the field of currency automation. Based in Munich, Germany, the G&D group has subsidiaries and joint ventures around the world. In fiscal 2005, the Group employed some 7,500 people and generated revenue of €1.24 billion. For more information, visit our Web site at www.gi-de.com .
About Chan Wanich Security Printing Company
Chan Wanich Security Printing Co., Ltd. (CSP) was established in 1921 as the first security printer in Thailand. With 85 years of solid experience and vision from our management, we are now aiming at expanding our capacity and technology to be one of the top security solution providers in the world. CSP is capable of manufacturing various kinds of cards such as contact smart cards, contactless smart cards, dual interface cards, fragrance cards, magnetic stripe cards, and scratch-off cards. CSP offers both value and vision to our customers and is entrusted with the production of many high-security products, including Visa and MasterCard cards, revenue excise stamps, postal stamps, and passports.
About Siam City Bank
Siam City Bank, PCL (SCIB) was established in 1941 by government officials and members of royal family with initial registered capital of 1 million baht ($27,512). In August 1994, SCIB was listed in the Stock Exchange of Thailand, with its shares being traded for the first time. In April 2002, SCIB became the 5th largest bank (asset size) in the nation after the merger with Bangkok Metropolitan Bank. As at the end of September 2006, SCIB has registered capital of 21,128 million baht ($580.6 million), 443,898 million baht ($12,198.3 million) in assets, 6,807 employees, and 397 branches nationwide.
Micro very interesting............
This store is one that I make my rounds to on a weekly basis and I find that very enlightening.
Dave
Go kite.........
That isn't frustration, just a very realization of how slow the upkeep it has been, and the very real competition that is in this space, with much of it being less comprehensive than Wave's offering, yet reaping the cash. I realized how difficult this was going to be a few months back when I went into a white box stroe to put a system together and the guys who build these things had no idea what a TPM was. Yes they carried Intel boards and ASUS parts. No I wasn't looking to buy or build a new unit at this time. And saying I wouldn't do business with that store doesn't change the fact that the some buiders of these types of systems still don't have a clue as of yet. These are the type of hurdles that still need to be overcome even at this juncture.
Dave
Upside............
No doubt about it, just look at how much more info is widely available as opposed to one year ago. Look at the struggle to get product into the market as the old line stills trys to market the same solutions. When it goes, it will be like that guy who busts through the door shoulder first an he ends up all over the place on the other side! There still isn't a clear cut winner in the space yet, the market hasn't determined it.
Dave
go-kite..................
The fact that we, and by we I also include SKS at the CC in this equation, still have to include "IF" in any analysis we do going forward still speaks volumes. What strikes me as telling is the fact you still have companies like your Norton's and others still bring products out en masse. Even Dell is still pushing these types of solutions-just look at any ads they have out, the largest company in Wave's corner still pushing these softwarte solutions. I know that Wave hasn't really been pushed to the consumer side, I get that. What I am saying is that they haven't scaled back the very public offering of these products. And I get that this dosen't encompass the whole of what the ETS does. What I do get is that 90% of users think that Norton and the like is all the security they need. I'll be so glad when the "IF" can be removed from this equation.
Dave
Internet security gets raft of new options
TPM still not on the mainstream radar
© Copyright 2006 Morningstar, Inc.
By Mike Berman
Scripps Howard News Service
November 17, 2006
I'm not sure whether it's Halloween or the harvest moon that attracts them, but developers of products designed to keep us safe and happy while computing have decided that this is the time of year to introduce their new lines of products.
Symantec, McAfee, Grisoft and Panda have all released new versions of their Internet security products, using the months when our attention turns to goblins -- and turkeys -- to make us aware of all the new threats that await us in cyberspace.
Norton Internet Security 2007 ($69.99 for one year), Norton Confidential ($29.99), McAfee Internet Security Suite ($49.99 for one year), Grisoft's AVG Internet Security ($69.99 for two years) and Panda Internet Security 2007 Platinum Edition ($43.95 for six months) have hit store shelves or can be ordered via the Internet.
Truthfully, except for a few subtle differences, they all do their jobs fairly well -- blocking viruses, splattering spyware and filtering spam to the best of their abilities. There are a few differences, however.
The offerings from Norton and Panda are the least intrusive, allowing you to go about your everyday tasks with a minimum of interference, but they don't seem to be as effective in picking up adware and spyware as the products from McAfee and AVG. Rescanning my test computers using McAfee and AVG products revealed several nasty files were still lurking on my computer and had to be blasted into oblivion.
Unfortunately, the McAfee security suite interfered with my being able to upload pages to my Web site and produced a few other minor annoyances.
Also, because the McAfee product is less flexible than those of its competitors, I had to disable either the program's firewall or the computer monitoring process to complete my tasks. These instances were rare, but it would've helped if I could have configured the firewall, etc., to allow these tasks.
On the plus side, the McAfee suite includes McAfee Site Advisor, which tells you how safe -- or dangerous -- every Web site is based on spam, adware and online scam safety tests. It also delivers full reports on the sites at the click of a button.
Another nice feature is its ability to rate sites when you perform a search with Google or any other search engine.
Norton Confidential takes a different approach to surfing safety. This product will tell you whether your personal information is secure when you shop in cyberspace -- green is good and red is bad.
It does this by searching for key loggers and other nasty stuff that may be attached to shopping carts or may have taken up residence on your computer. These programs serve only one purpose -- to steal any information you enter into any online form, ranging from passwords to credit card numbers.
It will also keep track of all of your login names and passwords, warning you when you use the same combination for multiple sites.
There is also a new offering on the horizon: Cyberdefender (cyberdefender.com), which will become available Nov. 20, is a free alternative for PC security and is the only product that will work with products from any of its competitors.
I've played with a beta version of the product, and it seems to do an adequate job of zapping all of the nasty stuff we don't want on our computers.
For more information on these products, visit symantec.com, mcafee.com, grisoft.com, pandasoftware.com or cyberdefender.com.
E-mail Mike Berman at mberman@jocgeek.com or visit jocgeek.com.
DOD awards contracts worth up to $700M
Wonder if this deal gave HP a leg up on the market here with the gov.?
OCT. 18 7:09 P.M. ET The Defense Department will soon begin paying only for computing power it uses, rather than buying computer servers that typically operate at less than half their capacity.
The U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency next month will begin placing orders on pay-per-use computing contracts worth up to $700 million, awarded earlier this month to Hewlett-Packard Co., Sun Microsystems Inc. and two other companies.
The companies will install and maintain 5,000 servers at 17 locations around the world, said Alfred Rivera, the DISA official in charge of the program.
The contractors, which are all guaranteed at least $200,000, will own and maintain the servers. Known as "utility computing," the practice is already used by cable, telecommunications and financial services companies. Now the government is jumping on the bandwagon.
"If we can't get more scalable and more efficient then shame on us," said John Garing, DISA's director for strategic planning and information.
DISA, which supplies information technology and communications support to the president, vice president, secretary of defense, military services and combatant commands, began looking at the concept as early as 2000 and used it in mainframe computer programs through 2004, Garing said.
"It's on the leading edge of where the government might be heading," said Ray Bjorklund, chief knowledge officer at Federal Sources Inc., a research and consulting firm in McLean, Va.
Palo Alto, Calif.-based printer and personal computer maker HP was awarded two separate deals worth up to $440 million over eight years that cover the HP-UX, Microsoft Windows, Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Novell SUSE Linux operating systems.
"It gives them the opportunity to throttle up and throttle down," said Tim Sheahan, vice president and general manager of HP Federal.
The pact with server and software maker Sun Microsystems Federal Inc., in McLean, Va., covers the Solaris operating environment and is worth up to $125 million.
Vion Corp., a Washington-based storage and server provider, will manage IBM's AIX operating system for DISA under a pact worth up to $25 million. The deal with Apptis Inc., based in Chantilly, Va., covers IBM's z/OS and z/VM operating environments and is capped at $110 million.
DISA plans to begin placing orders next month for the Air Force and Defense Finance Accounting Service, which have volunteered to be early adopters, Rivera said.
Bill Vass, president and chief operating officer at Sun Federal, said it was the company's first pay-per-use deal with a government customer and "the more they use, the more they save," because the price decreases as volume increases.
And DISA plans to expand its capacity-on-demand use. The agency next month plans to award a similar $700 million, eight-year deals for data storage, Rivera said.
Shares of HP dipped 5 cents to end at $39.01, while IBM gained $2.87, or 3.3 percent, to end at $89.82, both trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Sun added 5 cents to close at $5.20, Microsoft Corp. gained 8 cents to $28.52, Red Hat rose 5 cents to $19.07, and Novell Inc. slid 7 cents to $6.11, all trading on the Nasdaq.
Copyright 2006, by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
for 45 days +
Entrust IdentityGuard to Be Made Available to Ocean Systems' Financial Institution Customers
Ocean Systems to Offer Entrust Multifactor Authentication Platform
DALLAS, Nov. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As the fight to thwart online identity theft and fraud attacks gains momentum, Florida-based Ocean Systems has selected multifactor authentication from Entrust, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENTU) . Ocean Systems will offer Entrust IdentityGuard to its customers, which primarily consist of financial institutions -- in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean -- with assets ranging from $500 million to $10 billion. The company cited the range of authentication mechanisms supported by Entrust IdentityGuard in a single platform that can be deployed to a range of constituencies including customers, employees and partners.
"With regulatory and customer confidence pressure to bolster security with multifactor authentication, our customers are thirsty for solutions that give them a wide range of choices while not requiring integration into their back end applications," said Ocean Systems, Inc. President Juan Mendoza. "Entrust IdentityGuard is cost-effective, versatile, as well as easy to deploy and use -- traits attractive to our company, clientele and their customers."
With an inception in 1991, Ocean Systems, Inc., provides compliance solutions to more than 225 financial institutions. The company's flagship software offerings include an AML transaction monitoring software system, Enhanced Compliance Solution (ECS), and an automated wire transfer solution, FedLink. The companies plan to implement the Entrust IdentityGuard solution into both the ECS and FedLink environments to provide clients easy-to-use multifactor authentication security.
"We applaud Ocean Systems' proactive strategy of implementing multifactor authentication to help their customers reap the benefits that come from a more trusted environment," said Entrust Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Conner. "Our partnership will support the effort to prevent continued online fraud attacks of financial institutions, both domestically and abroad."
In the short term, Ocean Systems, Inc. also will deploy Entrust IdentityGuard to assist their financial institutions in complying with the FFIEC's year-end mandate.
As an established global leader in online security, Entrust has developed an open multifactor authentication platform that can help organizations protect user identities to reduce the risk of fraudulent transactions. Entrust IdentityGuard provides choice and flexibility to both end-users and enterprises by offering a variety of multifactor and mutual authentication capabilities. Strategies range from machine and knowledge-based authentication to physical second factor with Entrust's patented grid-based authentication; or even third-party, time-synchronous physical devices such as tokens.
Headquartered in Miami, Fla., Ocean Systems, Inc. products are installed both domestically and in Latin America. As certified vendor of the Federal Reserve Bank, Ocean System's core software products include the FedLink family of Wire Transfer Automation products, ISOLink Transaction Server, OFAC Server, and the Enhanced Compliance Solution (ECS) products.
With the relationship, Ocean Systems joins Entrust's list of more than 60 trusted partners across the globe.
About Entrust
Entrust, Inc. is a world leader in securing digital identities and information. Over 1,500 enterprises and government agencies in more than 50 countries use Entrust solutions to help secure the digital lives of their citizens, customers, employees and partners. Our proven software and services can help customers in achieving regulatory and corporate compliance, while helping to turn security challenges such as identity theft and e-mail security into business opportunities. For more information on how Entrust can help secure your digital life, please visit: http://www.entrust.com/ .
Entrust is a registered trademark of Entrust, Inc. in the United States and certain other countries. In Canada, Entrust is a registered trademark of Entrust Limited. All Entrust product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Entrust, Inc. or Entrust Limited. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
TPM Book available at Wal-Mart
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?dest=9999999997&product_id=4786796&sourceid=010000...
ARM TrustZone and Discretix CryptoCell Technologies Combined to Create Next-Generation Security for Mobile Content
Complementary technologies will be available as a complete security system; benefits include resistance to both hardware and software attacks, performance optimization and compliance with major industry standards
CAMBRIDGE, UK AND SAN MATEO, CA - Nov. 16, 2006 ARM [(LSE: ARM); (Nasdaq: ARMHY)] and Discretix, the leading provider of embedded security solutions for mobile devices and flash memory, today announced at the ARM® Connected Community Symposium, Paris, France, the collaboration towards a groundbreaking joint security solution for mobile devices. The combined solution will integrate ARM TrustZone® technology with Discretix’ CryptoCell™ technology, creating a robust trusted environment for mobile content that is compliant with major industry standards.
“As rich mobile content becomes ubiquitous, and technologies such as Near Field Communications (NFC) enable mobile contactless payment devices, turning your phone into your e-wallet, the security of portable devices is coming under greater scrutiny. With increasing occurrences of mobile fraud, content hacking and virus transmission, operators and businesses stand to lose significant revenues if action is not taken,” said Michael Dimelow, director of marketing, Embedded Software, ARM. “TrustZone Software has become the de facto standard in mobile security, and when combined with Discretix CryptoCell technology, we can deliver a robust and flexible solution accessible to all.”
“The Discretix CryptoCell security system is already part of many mobile platforms, making it a strategic enhancement for ARM TrustZone technology. SoC designers who are looking to build the most advanced mobile systems would greatly benefit from such joint architecture,” said Edo Ganot, EVP, Sales and Business Development of Discretix. “The combined solution is designed to ensure that mobile devices running open operating systems conform to the highest security requirements.”
The integration of TrustZone and CryptoCell technologies creates a tightly coupled, high-performance security solution combining hardware and software components. At the hardware level, the solution includes the CryptoCell platform and TrustZone Hardware. At the software layer, the solution includes TrustZone Software, Discretix security middleware and Discretix multi-scheme DRM agent.
Through the combination of TrustZone and CryptoCell technologies, OEMs will be able to implement secure execution environments to protect critical assets in open system architectures with the added benefit of low power, high-throughput cryptographic acceleration technology.
As a secure extension to the ARM architecture, TrustZone technology is targeted specifically at securing mobile phones, PDAs, set-top boxes or other consumer products running open operating systems such as Symbian, Linux and Windows CE. Through its implementation within the microprocessor core, TrustZone technology creates a secure execution environment to protect applications from software attacks.
Discretix’ CryptoCell technology is an embedded hardware and software system designed to protect and enable mobile device applications. The flexible platform offers an outstanding level of security while overcoming the challenges of performance, power consumption and silicon footprint. The CryptoCell architecture can be tailored to meet a variety of requirements for robust security solutions, and can be deployed across a wide range of platforms and operating systems. As part of this collaboration, Discretix has joined the ARM Connected Community.
Availability
ARM TrustZone technology is available for licensing now from ARM and consists of TrustZone technology-enabled ARM processors, TrustZone technology-aware ARM Fabric IP and ARM TrustZone Software.
About ARM
ARM designs the technology that lies at the heart of advanced digital products, from mobile, home and enterprise solutions to embedded and emerging applications. ARM’s comprehensive product offering includes 16/32-bit RISC microprocessors, data engines, graphics processors, digital libraries, embedded memories, peripherals, software and development tools, as well as analog functions and high-speed connectivity products. Combined with the company’s broad Partner community, they provide a total system solution that offers a fast, reliable path to market for leading electronics companies. More information on ARM is available at http://www.arm.com.
About Discretix
www.discretix.com.
Ping Identity Enables Government Agencies to Securely Collaborate Across Agencies and Contractors
November 15, 2006; 07:08 AM
Ping Identity Corporation announced today a new initiative designed to meet the unique cross-domain credentialing and federated identity needs of government agencies. Elements of this initiative include new capabilities now available in Ping Identity’s flagship product, PingFederate, as well as certification that PingFederate is compliant with the US General Services Administration’s e-Authentication Initiative. Furthermore, in a companion release also issued today, Ping Identity announced a significant federated identity management contract award with the Regional Information Sharing Systems program administered by the US Department of Justice.
Government agencies have a delicate balancing act to maintain between collaborating with one another to streamline services while simultaneously maintaining information integrity and security in today’s climate of increased identity theft and homeland vulnerability. Federated identity management plays an essential role in allowing secure collaboration across agency as well as public/private sector organizational boundaries by providing cross-domain credentialing, the ability for identity information from one security domain to be efficiently and securely shared with other security domains.
“Ping Identity is committed to delivering technology and services that enable government agencies to manage this delicate balance between collaboration and compliance,” said Andre Durand, CEO of Ping Identity. “In partnership with our government customers, we have added powerful capabilities to PingFederate that are specifically designed to serve the organizations that support our citizens.”
New Government-Specific Capabilities in PingFederate
GSA E-Authentication Certification – PingFederate is certified for use within the US General Services Administration E-Authentication Initiative. The E-Authentication Initiative supports SAML-based Identity Federations among government agencies as well as between the public and private sectors. This certification follows Ping Identity’s recent announcement that PingFederate has been certified by the Liberty Alliance as being conformant with the SAML 2.0 specification. For more information on the E-Authentication Initiative, go to http://cio.gov/eauthentication. To download the E-Authentication-certified version of PingFederate, go to http://www.pingidentity.com/products/pingfederate/download.
Hardware Security Module Integration – PingFederate 4.1 gives customers the option of integrating with a Hardware Security Module (HSM) for the storage of private and public keys. The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140 specification requires that a compliant HSM handle generation and storage of all private key data. PingFederate works with SafeNet’s Luna SA HSM, which meets FIPS 140-2 and 140-3 requirements.
"SafeNet has an ongoing commitment to securing industry-leading solutions for the federal government for more than 20 years," said Chris Fedde, president and COO, SafeNet. "We are proud to have been chosen by Ping Identity as the HSM security provider for their federal initiative."
Support for X.509 Attribute Sharing Profile (XASP) – Many organizations have made a significant investment in Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to provide a stronger form of authentication for their users. The SAML XASP profile enables relying party applications that have successfully authenticated the user with a digital certificate to go back to the organization that issued the digital certificate (the Identity Provider) and retrieve dynamic or sensitive user attributes that are not or should not be included with the certificate. Rather than investing in heavy directory synchronization technology, XASP support in PingFederate 4.1 enables the relying party application to retrieve these attributes in real time to enable personalization functionality or to facilitate application-level authorization decisions.
Federal Partner/Contract Vehicles
Ping Identity's products are included on Advantaged Solutions, Inc. GSA Group 70 Schedule Contract number GS-35F-0926R. Advantaged Solutions, Inc. is also an SBA-certified HUBZone Small Disadvantaged Business. To contact Advantaged Solutions, Inc. regarding Ping Identity products, please call 202-204-3083, or email sales@advantagedsolutions.com.
About PingFederate
Award-winning PingFederate is a standalone federation server with multi-protocol capabilities for SAML 1.0, 1.1, 2.0 and WS-Federation single sign-on. PingFederate can be downloaded directly from Ping Identity at http://www.pingidentity.com. PingFederate is certified Liberty Alliance SAML 2.0 interoperable and GSA E-Authentication compliant. For more information, please contact Ping Identity toll-free at + 1 877.898.2905 or +1 303.468.2882, or email sales@pingidentity.com.
About Ping Identity Corporation
Ping Identity is uniquely dedicated to delivering Internet Identity software and services that are transforming how organizations work with employees, customers and business partners. Our open and flexible approach offers best-of-breed software complemented with best-in-class service that exceeds the ever-expanding needs of customers like Boeing, Cisco, New York Life and Pulte Homes. Sign on to Ping Identity; sign on to what’s next. For more information, please visit www.pingidentity.com.
Snackman.............
I don't have the capability to search all of your posts-subscriber feature. I did take the time to review your last few hundred post headers, and yes there were eweek articles posted, all mentioning some aspects of this space-vista etc. I did not see one specific mention of Wave. I may not have looked deep enough. Again, back to my point the market has evolved to the point that Wave's name should be out there. They are offering a Suite of solutions, not some mystery product. I might even buy the argument that you don't want to upset the competition. That should be blown out of the water by the fact that there are resellers selling this product and that Wave itself has it available for sale on it's own website. Hardly what I would call stealth. As far as the press goes, it seems that the Inquirer is the only publication that has been in Wave's corner for years. TTT that's for sure, but time eventually runs out as well.
Dave
Question for the board..........
I've had a subscription to E-week for awhile now. Did I miss it, or why hasn't Wave submitted its products to be reviewed or tested here? The product is available and does not need Vista to be operational. Dell has offered it for over 6 months now. Every week they have articles on securtiy or a secure program. The new issue has articles on Vista, Symantec and Macafee, RFID, among others. The stealth arguement should not fly anymore, if we are to believe they are as ingrained with Dell, Intel, Seagate et al, as they should be manufacturing and marketing with Wave's product hand in hand with theirs at this point. The company needs to tout it's product as THE solution, not operate like it's 2001 anymore.
Dave
Potential threats.............
There seems to be a lot of talk about Wave having no competition, software companies not as secure as Wave's offering and many other options in this field. IMO each and every one of these companies that offers a solution and signs a deal with another company to be incorporated into that companies offering or to be sold as a stand alone solution IS competiton. We can choose to blindly ignore this, that the ETS is the superior product. The market is telling another story at this point. As far as I can see they market is not convinced that Wave is the be all end all. This is in no way a slam towards Wave. Given the potential of this market, other companies should be trying to capture a share. After all, this validates Wave was correct in steering the ship this way a few years back. This dosen't change the fact that other companies are encroaching into this space with products inferior or otherwise. If the customer can't put the Wave product to the test, whose to say the competition is offering an inferior product to what that customers needs are? Technically that product could be substandard, but if it is an upgrade from what they were using at a price that justifies that upgrade, then that is a roadblock Wave must face. Eammon made mention of that with a software solution for a 60K plus employee company in a post from a few days ago. This is a real world example, not some white paper, or some DD provided conclusion. This market will continue to move forward and will pull Wave with it. It could also roll right over it should delays and other unforeseen circumstances continue the next few quarters.
Dave
Ramsey.............
I acxtually haven't had the time to sit down and listen. I will at some point or read the transcript. The financials told me all I needed to know right now. No surprises during the quarter.
Dave
MY CC impressions............
Actually I don't have one. This was the first one I haven't listened to in years. There seems to be a divided camp after this one however. The revs were in a ballpark I'd hoped they would be, I was wondering about a slight slow up in revs, figuring the end of the retail and corporate year for some companies combined with the clearing out of older inventory before the all-important christmas shopping season the second half of this quarter coming up. I was cautiously hopeful going into this CC given the unexplained rise in the SP the few weeks leading into it.
Ambler had a lot of thought provoking comments in his posts today, many I felt with merit. There are still many questions without answers. Bottom line is that SKS and Wave both need to deliver here in the near term. Wave and SKS both tout themselves as a leader in the field of trusted computing. We have seen with our own eyes and DD that this whole TC area is becoming a magnet of activity by the products containing TCG compliant items, what seems to be daily articles on line and the impending Vista release. As these storms collide more eyes, financial, institutional and otherwise, become focused on these companies. These unmet statements, goals or what have you that SKS rolls out every CC are now part of a very public track record, fair or otherwise. The investors in this community have watched this story evolve and enjoy being a part of this story-there has been at least one or more posts at least once a week for the last 7 years that hasn't included this. Those watching this only care about the cash side, the making money ON this stock not in it. We have seen this all too many times given the past PP action- the last few excluded. Some of the PP'ers might even be getting caught this time should the price drop this week. At this point we have compliant product being available in the marketplace, maybe not on a wide scale, but enough to be reflected in Wave's bottom line, which obviously it has. It is also obvious that it has not gone as fast as everyone has hoped.
The most disappointing thing to me is that we are 2 weeks removed from the DOD compliance date and still no sign that Wave is involved on even a small scale. Other companies had PR's and wins released, yet Wave waits. From what I have read it looks like BE in Q2 is depending on other factors than previously stated. Again a sign the uptake is slower than expected, the pricing point has moved, quantity discounts being given, or maybe a collective waiting to see what Visat is all about. Still Wave waits. The screaming from the crowd gets louder. If the "song remains the same" come Q2 2007 everything that has come before will have seemed like a whisper. But at least I won't be here to listen, because Q2 2007 has been my self imposed eject point. I can't imagine anything at that point that hasn't materialized by then that would keep me around . In my eyes, they would have squandered the greatest opportunity in this space and not capitalized- avenues for product usage, gorillas and first to market. You can't get those back.
Dave
Microsoft sees gamers online as key to growth
Wed Nov 8, 2006 10:16 AM ET
By Kenneth Li
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp.'s ability to convert occasional players of online video games into regular gamers is key to growth for the next-generation Xbox 360 console, a company executive said on Tuesday.
He was speaking at a conference a day after the software giant announced the debut of a video download service for its Xbox Live online service that will make some television shows and movies available in high definition video by November 22.
"The real growth here is getting to that moderate gamer. We need to bring them to the box," Peter Moore, vice president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division which oversees Xbox, told investors at the BMO Capital Markets conference in New York.
Moore was referring to users who occasionally play video games online but have yet to spend at least $400 to buy the Xbox for their homes.
Microsoft's new video service, which will start initially offering about 1,000 hours of movies to rent and shows to buy, is designed to keep existing Xbox customers glued to the screen and places the video game machine at the center of the living room media hub.
Moore told Reuters in an interview that it was likely the service would announce more programming partners, but he did not give any further details.
"I guarantee you that if I had three more weeks (before announcing the launch), I would have 15 logos up there," Moore added, referring to the logos of programming companies that have struck video deals with Xbox. They currently include Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros. movie studios and Viacom Inc.'s MTV Networks.
The service is designed to play up the lifestyle aspects of owning a game console, which mainly appeals to gamers seeking better graphics and more in-depth games.
Although videos purchased or rented on the service will not immediately be viewable on Microsoft's upcoming Zune portable media player, Moore told Reuters that Microsoft had not ruled that out.
"Zune -- that is in the future," he said, adding that there were no immediate plans.
Microsoft's Zune, which hits store shelves next week, is designed to compete against Apple Computer Inc.'s popular iPod music and video player.
Moore said Microsoft's head-start in connecting video game consoles to online gaming through its Xbox Live service should prove an advantage in tapping future growth.
He cited data from tracking firm DFC Intelligence that forecast the number of video game consoles connected to the Internet to quadruple by 2010.
Console-connected online gaming services are opening up new revenue streams, such as advertising and additional content sales for device makers and video game publishers.
Microsoft has 4 million Xbox Live subscribers, who can download game demos, chat and compete with friends, buy new maps and weapons and, soon, download TV shows and movies.
Rival Sony Corp. said 3 million of the 106 million PlayStation 2 owners use its online service. The company is revamping the service, called PlayStation Network, for its PlayStation 3 console that makes its U.S. debut on November 17.
Moore confirmed Microsoft's expectation that Xbox 360 shipments would reach 10 million by the end of 2006, and 13 million to 15 million by the end of its 2007 fiscal year.
The software company's fiscal year ends June 30, 2007.
(Additional reporting by Michele Gershberg and Lisa Baertlein)
Microsoft to start selling Vista at retail January 30
Wed Nov 8, 2006 5:09 PM ET
sorry if this was already posted
By Daisuke Wakabayashi
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Vista, the software giant's first major upgrade of its operating system in five years, is complete and will be available to retail customers on January 30, a senior executive said on Wednesday.
Plagued by a series of development delays, Windows Vista is front and center of a new product cycle at the world's largest software maker that includes a new version of its Office business software suite.
Jim Allchin, co-president of Microsoft's platforms and services division, said it expects consumers to make a "fast and immediate" switch to the new Windows.
"On January 30, you will be hard pressed to find a machine that doesn't have Windows Vista available," said Allchin in a conference call with reporters and analysts.
In the first year of release, Vista will be installed on more than 100 million computers worldwide, according to research firm IDC. Windows already sits on more than 90 percent of the world's computers.
Microsoft originally targeted a 2005 launch for Vista, then pushed the release out to 2006 before announcing in March that Vista would again be delayed. There was also speculation among analysts that Microsoft would have a hard time meeting its early 2007 target.
"One of the biggest downside risks between now and year-end was any sort of delay in the Vista introduction," said Romeo Dator, portfolio manager at US Global Investors, a Microsoft shareholder.
"The worst-case scenario would have been if Microsoft had said 'we're delaying it again.'"
Shares of Microsoft rose to their highest level since late 2004 after the news, before paring those gains. The stock, up more than 25 percent since June, closed up 3 cents at $28.98 in Nasdaq trade after touching a high of $29.23.
MORE SECURE?
Microsoft also said it will put Vista in the hands of large volume business customers on or before November 30 when it will hold a ceremony in New York to mark the availability of Vista, Office 2007 and 2007 Exchange e-mail server.
Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft said Vista has already been completed in five languages including Spanish, French, Japanese and German. By the end of January, Vista will be available in 18 languages and eventually in 100 languages.
Allchin, who will retire from Microsoft after Vista ships, said business customers will be drawn to the improvements in performance, reliability and security.
"In my opinion, it is the most secure system that is available and it's certainly the most secure system that we've ever shipped," said Allchin. "I have incredible confidence in the quality of the operating system."
Among the new features in Windows Vista will be a new user interface with translucent windows and three-dimensional scrolling and a new search capability to look for information on the PC and across the network.
In late October, Microsoft started an upgrade program so customers who buy a PC running Windows XP during the holiday shopping season can get Windows Vista at a discount or for free when the new operating system becomes available.
Earnings out tomorrow.
Dave
Federal biometric smart-card deadline looms
Grant Gross
October 27, 2006 (IDG News Service) Many U.S. agencies are "on track" to meet a Friday deadline to begin issuing smart identification cards, although the U.S. government is not giving out the specific number of agencies likely to be in compliance.
Agencies are in the process of preparing to comply with President Bush's Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), said Andrea Wuebker, deputy press secretary at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), on Thursday. To meet the deadline, agencies must have technology in place to issue smart cards to employees and contractors, but they aren't required to have issued a large number of cards.
"Homeland security is a top priority for this administration, and the Homeland Security Presidential Directive will help increase the level of protection at our federal facilities and for our federal employees and contractors," she said by e-mail.
While OMB didn't provide specific numbers, Tom Greco, vice president for enabling infrastructures for IT security vendor Cybertrust, said Thursday he expects about 80 percent of U.S. agencies to meet the deadline. Most agencies are working through contracts managed by the General Services Administration or the Department of the Interior, and those are "well on their way to being compliant," he said.
As some agencies apparently rush to meet the deadline, IT security and smart-card vendors are looking at the directive as a boon to business. While many agencies will initially use the cards for physical access to buildings, and perhaps access to computers and networks, vendors predict that agencies will use the cards for a variety of functions, including encrypting data, authenticating e-mail senders, identifying beneficiaries of government worker benefits and even paying for transactions as a debit card.
The Stanford Group Co., a research analysis firm, predicted in July that HSPD-12 spending would be about $1.3 billion over five years.
"The people at the agencies realize the task ahead of them is a multiyear task," said Greco, whose company has worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies on HSPD-12.
Compliance with HSPD-12 will lead agencies to issue millions of smart cards with multiple uses, and the convenience the government cards offer will lead to private companies such as credit card vendors issuing their own multi-use cards, predicted Jason Hart, chief executive officer at ActivIdentity Corp., which announced this week that the Department of Defense and Transportation Security Administration have purchased its smart-card issuing software.
More than 50 million government cards could eventually be issued, he said. HSPD-12 will kick off an "evolution of ID," he said.
But Michael Gibbons, vice president of federal security solutions at Unisys Corp., said Friday's deadline is a small step toward the potential of smart ID cards. Some agencies will miss the deadline, because the directive didn't allocate additional funding for smart-card systems.
HSPD-12 doesn't require the cards to be used for network access or many of the other functions vendors are pitching, he added. "This is such as enabling technology, and right now, there's no decision about its potential use," he said. "The good news is it's going to let you in the front door."
Possible reason for the price spike............
The government mandated deadline " the Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 (HSPD-12)" is set for October 27th-that is tomorrow. Could we see an announcement?
We saw an announcement that ACTI got the smartcard gov business. This mandate goes into effect tomorrow. I don't see any good reason that Wave should be with holding any news should there be anything there. The stealth should be off as of tomorrow. This run up could be in anticipation of some sort of release tomorrow. We shall see.
Dave
Uh Oh? Defense Department Picks Smart Card For Desktop, Network Security
http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=193401929
Middleware will authenticate military smart-card holders and allow them to access their local computer and departmental network systems, as well as provide secure remote access.
By K.C. Jones
TechWeb News
Oct 24, 2006 04:42 PM
ActivIdentity Corp. has won contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force for its smart-card desktop client software.
ActivIdentity ActivClient 6.0 will move the U.S. armed services to next-generation common access cards, which comply with a directive from Homeland Security. The middleware will authenticate smart-card holders and allow them to access their local computer and departmental network systems, as well as provide secure remote access.
The Homeland Security directive requires security, compatibility and government-wide interoperability to digitally authenticate Java-based common access cards for 3.5 million military personnel and contractors around the world. The smart-card client software provides support for multiple generations of common access card versions.
In a July report called "Identity Solutions Industry Outlook," the Stanford Group Company valued the smart-card contracts with the DoD and various military branches at nearly $1.3 billion over five years, with most revenue flowing in from fiscal years 2007 to 2009.
The cards incorporate identity assurance and authentication practices using PKI and biometric fingerprint credentials on a single cryptographic smart card.
Zen that's the part the caught my eye as well.
Dave
Internet security too feeble, experts say
ID theft a constant web concern
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/535281.html
TORONTO — A complete overhaul of the way identity is verified on the Internet is the only way to stem the exponentially growing tide of online fraud, Internet privacy experts say.
Ontario’s privacy commissioner and Microsoft executives held a joint news conference Wednesday in Toronto as part of a conference of the International Association of Privacy Professionals.
Increasingly sophisticated Internet scammers threaten to make the way people currently use the Internet obsolete, they warned.
"With the exponential growth of online fraud, phishing, pharming (and) identity theft, the existing identity infrastructure of the Internet is simply no longer sustainable," said commissioner Anne Cavoukian.
"Make no mistake — this is the next wave," she said. "The future of privacy revolves around identity and how it’s treated."
Cavoukian and Microsoft’s privacy and identity experts said identity theft and the online fraud that ensues is inhibiting the growth of e-commerce because people are afraid to enter personal information online.
What the Microsoft team found most troubling was the lack of control users have over their personal information — a problem they hope to solve with a tool called Cardspace, part of the forthcoming Vista operating system, due in January.
The system would use "infocards," which enable websites to verify a customer’s identity without receiving or keeping personal or financial information, much like the cards people carry in their wallets.
Peter Cullen, chief privacy strategist with Microsoft, said the challenge has been how to take real-life security — enforced through the use of separate ID cards such as drivers’ licences, credit and library cards — online.
"How do you replicate the experience that all of us enjoy in the real world where we choose our identity by what card we pull out of our purse or wallet?" he said.
Infocards would allow a bank to act as a middleman in an online purchase, sending payment confirmation to a retailer without transmitting a credit card number.
Such a system won’t catch on overnight, but Cardspace is a start, said chief Microsoft identity architect Kim Cameron.
"An identification system can’t be a Microsoft product," he said.
"It has to work across Microsoft, Linux, Apple, every possible permutation and combination. It has to work on computers, it has to work on cellphones, so it’s really a very all embracing thing."
Internet expert and author Rick Broadhead said the idea is great, but he doubts it will become a be-all and end-all solution.
"I’m all for making the Internet even more secure than it is today, and I think this technology is probably a step in that direction and I applaud that," Broadhead said.
However, "I think it would take a long time (to become mainstream practice) and I think the odds are always against any one standard taking hold...it’s like trying to get a consensus at the United Nations."
Broadhead said the key will be convincing online merchants and websites to embrace the system.
Alexandra Brown, a spokesperson for EBay Canada, wouldn’t say if they would be open to accepting infocards, but did note it’s essentially what PayPal, their current payment system, already does.
"All I know is that anything that consumers can do to keep themselves safe when buying and selling online is a good thing," Brown said.
Cameron said several companies have already agreed to accept the infocards, but would not reveal which ones.
Vista security powwow lined up
Microsoft to talk access with rivals...
By Joris Evers
Published: Thursday 19 October 2006
http://software.silicon.com/os/0,39024651,39163364,00.htm
Microsoft plans to meet with security companies to discuss part of the changes it has promised to make to Windows Vista in response to competitive concerns.
The software behemoth has planned an online briefing for security companies today, a company representative said in an emailed statement. The meeting is to discuss how third-party protective software can interact with the innards of 64-bit versions of Windows Vista, the representative said.
In response to antitrust concerns from the European Commission, Microsoft last week said third-party security software will be able to access the kernel of 64-bit versions of Vista and disable alerts sent out by the Windows Security Center. Both capabilities had been requested by security companies but previously denied by Microsoft.
McAfee, Symantec and others had charged that Microsoft was hurting competition and creating an unfair advantage for its own products through the kernel protection and Windows Security Center features.
Microsoft on Monday supplied security companies with the technology to suppress Windows Security Center alerts. The company, however, had not yet communicated about the kernel protection features, called PatchGuard.
The Thursday meeting will discuss scheduling for development of the technologies to work with the Vista kernel, Microsoft said. But, according to the representative, these APIs - or application program interfaces - will not be ready until after Microsoft releases Vista to PC makers and CD factories.
That timing means security companies won't be able to ship certain products for 64-bit versions of Vista until later. Also, the kernel access features won't exist in the first release of the new operating system and will have to be added in an update, such as a service pack.
Such a delay is not likely to please Microsoft's security rivals. A McAfee spokesman said: "From McAfee's perspective, it is not at all acceptable for Microsoft to wait until a service pack and not offer us kernel access until after the launch of Vista."
Joris Evers writes for CNET News.com
I 4got mY PasswRD -Forbes October 30 issue
Again showing the uphill battle still being waged here. Not one mention of TPM, Bitlocker etc. This to me would have been a perfect example of an article that should be mentioning what hardware solutions are available and none are to be found. Sad and in a mainstream mag too. You can say it ain't a tech mag, but these are the mags that non tech guy is going to stumble onto these sorts of things.
Password bloat is getting worse. Brace yourself for a slew of new security measures on the Web.
The password was supposed to be our friend, protecting precious data from the bad guys. But it has become a burden for the good guys. The Web-savvy user now has an average of 30 password-protected accounts. Pleas to reset forgotten passwords account for half of help-desk calls to Web sites, says RSA Security. When Bank of America (nyse: BAC - news - people ) ran a focus group, nearly all participants said that one security measure they weren't willing to put up with was another password. You can try using the same code everywhere, but that isn't safe, nor is it even feasible, given the varied formats required.
A search for solutions turns up frustratingly few options. Web sites are embracing more layers of security that make use of other identity-bearing clues. By year-end all federal banking agencies will require online banks to ask for two forms of identification to access an account, like a thumbprint or a secret question.
Small outfits Siber Systems, PasswordSafe and Info Keep offer so-called vaults that remember and manage passwords. "We're like your browser bookmarks on steroids. Every time you go to a Web site we automatically sign you in," says William Carey, marketing chief for Siber Systems, which sells a product called Roboform. But consumers are wary of handing over the keys to their digital identity. Carey says: "Your passwords stay on your PC with Roboform, but people are scared, even though what they're currently doing with their passwords, like keeping them stored in a file on their PC, is really dangerous."
One of the most popular features of Intuit's Quicken financial software is the "PIN vault," which holds users' various passwords so Quicken can fetch financial information from other sites. Last year the vault held passwords for 430 financial firms. The next version will have 4,400.
Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) is trying to do away with passwords entirely. In its upcoming Vista operating system consumers can create "information cards" that serve as encrypted digital identifiers. Credit card companies will be able to issue these cards to customers. If all parties sign up, the info card would tell Wells Fargo (nyse: WFC - news - people ), say, to transfer $19.95 to Amazon.com.
It's a neat idea but one that requires a buy-in from consumers and vendors alike. Seven years ago Microsoft floated a similar-sounding scheme called Passport that granted users access to any site that agreed to use the same password system. The project was a bust, as other companies balked at letting Microsoft peek at their customer data (consumers were iffy on the notion, too). This time around Microsoft isn't offering to store all the data. "We can make digital transactions much safer than in the real world," says Kim Cameron, Microsoft's identity-and- access architect.
One idea that has taken root is the use of a token the size of a key fob that generates a random six-digit password every 60 seconds. The big player here is RSA Security, which has sold 20 million of them to such customers as Wells Fargo and Credit Suisse. E-Trade has handed the tokens out to its most active customers.
Web sites are layering on more security to fight the common Web scam known as phishing, in which spammers lure people into logging on to a bogus site and steal their user names and passwords. In April RSA (acquired by EMC for $2.1 billion last month) paid $45 million for Passmark, a company that created an image-based security system.
One Passmark client, Bank of America, asks customers to recall a photo they previously selected for access to online statements; then they enter a password. The images are warm and fuzzy shots of puppies and sunsets alongside short-text descriptions that customers must also identify. Bank of New Zealand customers access online files by using a password, then selecting combinations from unique grids of numbers and letters that resemble the game Battleship. Yahoo (nasdaq: YHOO - news - people )'s log-on page now displays a user-selected photo to assure people they're not being phished.
Imagic Software in Solvang, Calif. sells software that analyzes a user's typing habits to build a biometric profile. So long as you have both hands on the keyboard, "if you happen to have a crying toddler on your knee or you're groggy, we'll still recognize you," says Imagic Vice President Craig Maszer. So far just a few firms use Imagic for employees.
Lincoln.......
I don't suspect that the available shares would be that low. Basically you probably only have about maybe 5-6 million shares in the hands of mutuals and insiders tops. I can't fathom 18-21 million shares locked up with no intention of being traded until it hits double digits. Lots of folks have been buying away for the last few years. There has to be some disappointment with the way the stock price has acted since the split. When the stock does move again I fully expect to see selling into an upward move by some who are trying to recoup some losses they have incurred. I would also venture to guess that some of the buying over the past few months has been done with that specifically in mind. Also, expect to see some selling off from those who did not pull the trigger back in early 2000. For those that bought in under a buck 3-4 range is a 9 to 12 bagger and that might help recoup losses for some - especially if we get a run up on something other than a $$$'s related item.
Dave
Dave
Escrow and GoKite.........
Not only that, it would also give the "Street" types assurance that the uptrends on the quarterlies will continue their upward movement with some reliable certainty.
Dave
When this line disappears from the announcements..........
"The contract does not provide for guaranteed minimum or maximum shipped quantities or royalties." then you will see the shareprice rise. This line to me still implies great uncertainty. We as shareholders who have turned over the minutest of details and have been following, some ferverently, every move this compnay has made, and those within Wave's perceived space, can extrapolate some figures based on what we feel and think could happen. The investing community at large, by and large, is learning about Wave through only a few sources-PR releases and information available from the SEC/EDGAR sites. Believe me, if that is all I had to go on this does not paint a rosey picture-if that's as far as one is going. That is the big disconnect here with this community and the investing community. Wave can't hold up to the scrutiny most of these guys use, as of yet. That line to me shows the companies they are working with perceive risk as well since there isn't a concrete number attached. Outside of the DOD contract- and this was for consulting, not product- I cannot think of one release with a solid number behind it. We can argue semantics, but until that changes the share price gyrates in a 1.50-2.10 range as shareholders continue to nibble with every new PR that is released.
Dave
Awk...........
I know it looks like I am beating a dead horse here, that's not what I am trying to do. I just trying to get some answers for myself. I believe you are correct as to the reasoning why they are keeping WXP on as a going entity. The fact is that all facets of this operation have taken longer to come to fruition than anyone within the company and shareholders expected. The consumer of content will not care how they are to receive and view that data they are doing it today without WXP. The providers are looking for a secure way to deliver it and the TPM may facilitate that enough to their liking in the foreseeable future. The problem I have is that channels are already in place delivering this content to people whom want this. I don't think WXP has a gain in a measurable percentage of this or we would have heard about it and it would be reflected in the quarterly reports, which it has not. With these channels in place it would seem to me not a very large stretch for them to implement the product taking adavantage of the TPM in some-ie encrypting the media for each specific machine-after all the TPM makes each user trusted and known right? If WXP is say 6-8 quarters away from bringing in any revs, is the 20% portion of Wave's selling and general expense that WXP takes justified? Then is this justified if Wave is able to capture a portion of this business through the channels already in place that might gravitate towards Wave other offerings without using WXP in some fashion.
Here is a great question, why given the cash flow sitauion can't WXP share office space with Wave? At this point do they really need anything more than an office and a phone?
Dave
Scorpio I agree that there are differences for sure between these two entities. You do give some ground that a TPM used with one of these providers makes for a salient arguement. Give me your take on this. We all know that the TPM's have been rolling out for some time and are starting to gain traction. Wavexpress has been around in the marketplace for far longer than TPM's and they are doing nothing more than spinning their wheels-at this point. What do you think Wave's course of action should be if these other Q-Pass type companies and content providers leverage these TPM's with their products? Another question is this-how much longer should Wave continue to fund Wavexpress if the revenues continue to be far less than the operation is to run? Per my e-mail WXP burns about 1.2M every 6 months. I would think this would be most selling and general administration as opposed to R & D at this point, as we have not seen any new and improved offering from them in awhile. Given that Wave's S & GA costs are about 5.9 M over the same time period does it seem equitable that WXP should be taking up almost 20% of that figure?
Anyone??
Dave
Rachel
The e-mail I received explained that to be the case.
Thanks
Dave
WXP competiton?
The Qpass platform has processed over $1.4 billion in retail consumer sales worldwide and provides access to over 500,000 digital products from over 1,000 content providers.
This is the kind of thing that to me cuts any sort of edge WXP has. This has a huge sales and an infrastructure in place. As more TPM's become deployed, it would seem to me that the securing of the content portion would be moot, since the TPM would authenticate the user. As broadband becomes the more prevalant mode of use on-line with bigger and faster processors in use, content is king. Providers want the most eyes to see it's product- regardless of what platform is used. The longer WXP meanders the further behind it falls. The money this company has spent developing this entity was one the had the looks of a full service multi-media platform. At best now it looks like it could be serving only a niche. As convergence comes the niche players will be forced out. If the TPM scenario plays out the way most have described here, that is what may/will/is happening to Infineon. How is this any different here?
Amdocs Launches Digital Commerce Solution to Help Service Providers Market and Sell Content to Consumers
The new Qpass 6 is the only solution that allows consumers to find and buy any kind of digital content over any network and on any interactive device
Friday, 29 September 2006
Amdocs, provider of software and services to enable integrated customer management and the intentional customer experience TM, launched Qpass 6, a digital commerce software solution that enables service providers and media companies to improve how they sell content to their customers, while making it easier for consumers to find and buy content. The solution allows media companies and service providers to increase market share in a growing digital commerce market. The announcement was made at Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) Wireless IT and Entertainment show (Amdocs booth No. 1011).
"Selling digital content is becoming more complex as the demand and variety of digital content has increased in the past three years," said Paul Hughes, Vice President from the Yankee Group.
"Amdocs' Qpass 6.0 provides the necessary set of tools to help digital content providers, such as service providers and media companies, manage complex digital partner relationships, sell digital content and turn a profit."
Digital content sales continue to increase at a rapid pace. This exponential growth presents a number of challenges for service providers and media companies who have to distribute a greater number of applications to every kind of interactive device and manage an ongoing stream of multi-party partnerships. In addition, service providers and media companies need to ensure they deliver a positive experience to their customers.
The new Qpass 6 solution offers a suite of tools to help increase digital content sales as well as to build loyalty among consumers. The offering also helps service providers and media companies manage hundreds of complex digital partner relationships via a Web-based self-service application.
Qpass 6 allows service providers and media companies to sell any kind of digital content (music, games or movies) over any network (wireless, broadband cable or satellite) on any interactive device (personal computers, mobile phones, set-top boxes, or kiosks). Service providers and media companies also need to ensure that consumers can find and purchase content quickly and easily. The Qpass 6 solution allows consumers the ability to customize their discovery experience across all devices, making it simple to find and buy digital content. Its updated search capabilities and recommendation engine provides instant access to an extensive array of digital content. In addition, Qpass 6 offers the ability for a provider to deliver targeted promotions which will encourage consumers to purchase more content.
"As service providers and media companies strive to stay competitive and grow their digital commerce business, they need a way to manage the complicated world of content distribution and create a superior and intentional customer experience," said Michael Matthews, chief marketing officer of Amdocs. "Amdocs' Qpass 6 is the first complete solution to help service providers and media companies manage, deliver and sell digital content to consumers as well as maximize their profitability through new customizable marketing tools."
The Qpass platform has processed over $1.4 billion in retail consumer sales worldwide and provides access to over 500,000 digital products from over 1,000 content providers. Qpass 6 is available now. For more information or to view the multimedia press release, visit www.amdocs.com/qpass6info
CRM Today
http://www.crm2day.com/news/crm/119970.php