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Product News
Features and updates for WinMagic's line of products |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
SecureDoc TM Disk Encryption to Receive Prestigious
Common Criteria Certificate at the Conference Ceremony
Mississauga Technology Firm Earns International Certification
Abstract:
- First International Common Criteria Conference in Baltimore, May 23-25, sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the National Security Agency (NSA) to promote this international standard for IT security products and systems.
- WinMagic Data Security produces encryption software that protects information effectively within a desktop or laptop in case it is lost, or stolen. Also it controls access to the computer preventing external attacks as well as internal breaches.
- Canadian Government's Communications Security Establishment awards Mississauga Technology Company internationally Recognized Computer Security Product Certification.
- Common Criteria Evaluation & Certification Scheme (CCS) permits Canadian IT Security Products and Systems to compete on a level playing field with countries that are part of the International Mutual Recognition Arrangement
- Certification under the CCS are recognized by governmental information security agencies from Australia/New Zealand, France, Germany, Netherlands, U.K., and the U.S.
- SecureDoc software also received Cryptographic module Validation Certificates for DES and Triple DES from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
BALTIMORE, May 23, 2000 - At the First International Common Criteria Conference, May 23-25, 2000 - When it comes to computer security, both developers and consumers must have the assurance that international standards are met. WinMagic Data Security is making sure these concerns are satisfied. This is especially critical at the convergence of two facts: more and more information is stored on computers, and a growing mobile work force has to face the reality of increasing laptop thefts and the risk of their data landing in the wrong hands.
After months of rigorous testing for claims of ease of use, functionality, and security, WinMagic's highly touted SecureDoc 2.0 Disk Encryption software has been awarded with the Common Criteria Certification by the federal government's Communications Security Establishment (CSE).
The CSE provides IT security solutions for the Government of Canada, including the department of National Defence and other government departments and organizations that have security concerns. For more than 50 years, it has been one of the world's leaders in developing, improving, applying, and evaluating information technology security products, and protecting classified and sensitive information.
The CSE plays a key role in developing the Common Criteria (CC), and also provides a Certification Body that develops and manages the Canadian Common Criteria Evaluation & Certification Scheme (CCS), that oversees the commercial evaluation facilities/labs, and certifies their evaluation work.
The internationally recognized Common Criteria resulted from the combined efforts of governmental security agencies in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, and the Netherlands. The CC establishes a framework for measuring the trustworthiness of IT Security products and systems and such validations boost the confidence levels of IT product buyers at home and in major overseas markets.
IT security products must meet tough minimum standards for the CC certification, which has recently been adopted as ISO Standard 15408. The CCS provides independent, third party evaluation and certification service for measuring the reliability and the effectiveness of high quality IT security products and systems.
Ottawa-based DOMUS IT Security Laboratory of LGS Group Inc. is an independent, third party laboratory that specializes in the testing of IT security products against recognized standards and has evaluated SecureDoc.
"The Common Criteria evaluation verified that SecureDoc has security functionality of identification and authentication, encryption and decryption, and automatic recovery of the encryption operation upon power or temporary disk failure," says Carol Cantlon, the Project Leader for the evaluation. "As well, it was verified that Triple DES, DES, and CAST 128 are correctly implemented in SecureDoc. The Common Criteria evaluation of SecureDoc is one of the few, if any, CC evaluations in which the cryptographic functionality was included within the evaluation boundary."
"It's an honour for WinMagic to be part of this distinctive certification award ceremony," states Thi Nguyen-Huu, WinMagic CEO. "To be recognized among an audience most committed to excellence in the IT security industry. I think this is another stellar example of the CSE helping innovative Canadian companies increase their visibility in the global marketplace."
"In a knowledge-based economy, information on a computer is worth more than the hardware itself, and is always vulnerable. Our software protects this precious commodity and the CC certification is the assurance to the end users that their IT security needs are met," added Thi.
"By submitting their SecureDoc product to a Common Criteria product evaluation, and achieving an EAL 1 level rating, WinMagic has demonstrated a real commitment to security," says Simon Gauthier, Director General for IT Security at the Communications Security Establishment.
SecureDoc 2.0 disk encryption is a convenient, user-friendly security solution for Windows 95.98/NT. It will be soon also available for Windows 2000. It is easy to use because the software only requires a user to enter a password once, at a Boot Logon screen, as soon as the computer is turned on. After this, users will not see or detect the software again because of automatic encryption security process in the background. This transparency feature also precludes any opportunity for human error or frustration.
SecureDoc uses up to 168 bit 3DES or CAST 128 bit algorithms to protect information. Because the entire disk is encrypted, including the operating system, applications, important data, and residual information, SecureDoc achieves what most encryption products failed to deliver: impenetrable security. Without the password and encryption key (which can be kept on a floppy disk) not even the most determined thief or treacherous computer hacker can access the information. And the SecureDoc 2.0 high security Screen Saver and Disk Lock feature preclude anyone from slinking up to a computer and printing sensitive files or copying information onto a floppy disk.
About Kasten Chase
Kasten Chase is focused on technology incubation for the purposes of providing
advanced, fully integrated data communications solutions in the areas of data
security, Internet access and wireless data communications. The company is
headquartered in Toronto, Canada with U.S. offices located in Reston, Virginia.
About WinMagic Inc.
WinMagic Inc. is a privately held company located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It develops and markets data security software for governments, financial institutions and the private sector. Its products protect sensitive data on the hard disks of the PC or laptop in case it is lost, stolen or otherwise compromised.
For more information regarding WinMagic products or services, please contact their offices at
(905) 502-7000 ext. 216, or visit their website at http://www.winmagic.com
ENQUIRIES:
| WinMagic Inc | Ph: 1-888-879-5879 ext. 216 |
| Sylvia Nguyen-Huu | Media Relations |
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