Wireless toolkit earns FIPS stamp

Certicom Corp.'s toolkit for developing secure applications on Microsoft Corp. Windows CE-based mobile devices has received the federal government's highest security approval, paving the way for users to store confidential data on Pocket PCs and SmartPhones.

Certicom, a provider of wireless security technology, on June 3 reported that Security Builder GSE has earned the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 certification for Windows and Windows CE. As a result, the toolkit meets government security requirements for both PC-based and wireless operating systems.

FIPS 140-2 is considered the benchmark for security within federal agencies and is awarded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology after products undergo stringent testing by an accredited independent lab to satisfy government requirements.

Security Builder GSE is the core cryptographic module for all of Certicom's movian security applications. The movian products enable companies such as Microsoft to extend critical business applications and technologies to wireless devices. Systems integrators and original equipment manufacturers can now build FIPS 140-2 certified products using Security Builder GSE.

Security Builder GSE incorporates all of the standard encryption algorithms, such as the Data Encryption Standard, Advanced Encryption Standard and RSA Security Inc. public key algorithms. The toolkit also includes elliptic curve cryptography, a public key encryption technique for wireless devices.

Security Builder GSE for Windows and Windows CE is available this month. Security Builder GSE for the Palm Inc. operating system is expected to be FIPS-certified later this year.

Certicom movianVPN GSE for Windows CE and movianMail GSE for Windows CE will be available by the fall, and movianCrypt GSE for Windows CE will be available by year's end.