Entrust to secure PeopleSoft ERP solutions

Security software vendor Entrust Technologies Inc. announced this month its certification by PeopleSoft Inc. to provide security solutions for PeopleSoft's widely used enterprise resource planning (ERP) products.

Entrust develops technology to support public-key infrastructures, which secure digital transactions through a combination of encryption, digital signatures and other technology. Entrust is the first third-party PKI provider to be certified with PeopleSoft's Global Alliance Program, the company said. Entrust was certified by competing ERP vendor SAP America Inc. in December.

"ERP solutions are mission-critical to the federal government," said Sam Maccherola, Entrust's vice president for the U.S. federal market. "I feel there's a tremendous need for security in ERP solutions in the federal government." Entrust technology can provide the "missing component" of ERP - the "infrastructure to secure data both externally and internally."

Entrust is putting together a General Services Administration schedule offering and is working with Compaq Computer Corp. to put Entrust products on NASA'S Scientific and Engineering Workstation Procurement and other contracts.

"We believe the Internet will continue to evolve as a major vehicle for organizations looking to leverage their networks and enterprise systems, [and so] security is a critical aspect for any federal organization seeking to maximize electronic commerce," said Jon Klem, general manager and vice president of PeopleSoft Federal. "As the Internet revolution continues, partners like Entrust provide security capabilities required for increasing responsiveness and extending the electronic supply chain."

Entrust's announcement is a milestone for PKI technology, which has been limited primarily to World Wide Web, e-mail and network applications, according to Victor Wheatman, a Gartner Group vice president. But "attention is now shifting to securing ERP and legacy applications," he said. The next step will be to combine, on a token, both online and physical security access, he said.

The new product, called Entrust Security for PeopleSoft, allows more secure access to applications and data both within an enterprise and between it and its partners over private or public networks. The technology includes features such as user authentication, digital signatures, single log-on and smart card integration.

Entrust "wrote the middleware" connecting PeopleSoft to Entrust's runtime encryption engines, said Michel Ranger, the security firm's director of business development.

-- Adams is a free-lance writer based in Alexandria, Va. She can be reached at cbadams@erols.com.