TI partners with Certicom for government issued IDs
12 November, 2007
category: Contactless, Corporate, Digital ID, Financial, Government
Certicom’s Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) technology has been chosen by Texas Instruments (TI) to deliver enhanced security as part of the TI RF360 next-generation, smart integrated circuit (IC) platform for government-issued electronic identification (e-ID) documents. Implementing Certicom’s ECC technology, TI can ensure long-term compliance with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP800-78 key management requirements for FIPS 201 Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards as well as with international e-passport requirements. Compliance is also provided with Suite B key agreement algorithms that were established as part of the NSA’s Cryptographic Modernization Program to protect both sensitive and classified data.
Texas Instruments Selects Certicom to Secure Next-Generation Of Government-Issued Identification Documents
Certicom’s Elliptic Curve and RSA Cryptography to increase security and performance of TI’s smart IC platform
MISSISSAUGA, ON, and DALLAS, TX, Nov. 12 – Certicom Corp. (TSX: CIC) today announced that Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) is licensing Certicom’s Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) technology to deliver enhanced security as part of the TI RF360 next-generation, smart integrated circuit (IC) platform for government-issued electronic identification (e-ID) documents (www.ti.com/govid). With Certicom’s embedded ECC technology, TI can now offer faster and more secure processing of electronic passports (e-passports) and other government-issued electronic IDs. (See www.ti.com/govid)
Under terms of the agreement, TI is licensing Certicom’s advanced low power ECC/RSA hardware acceleration IP core and cryptographic software for its RF360 smart IC platform. This agreement with Certicom helps position TI as a leader in next-generation secure chip technology for the government e-ID market and builds upon the existing alliance between the companies where TI is using Certicom’s ECC expertise and technology for standards-based RFID authentication and encryption.
“Combining Certicom’s crypto engine with our FRAM memory and MSP430 processor core enables TI’s new platform for government-issued IDs to operate at a significantly higher performance level with respect to speed and security,” said Julie England, vice president of Texas Instruments. “This partnership is key to offering high assurance that personal information on government-issued passports and documents can be processed quickly and securely.”
Implementing Certicom’s ECC technology, TI can ensure long-term compliance with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP800-78 key management requirements for FIPS 201 Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards as well as with international e-passport requirements. Compliance is also provided with Suite B key agreement algorithms that were established as part of the NSA’s Cryptographic Modernization Program to protect both sensitive and classified data. As the primary source of Suite B technology, Certicom is recognized by industry and government agencies to be the leading provider of ECC and Suite B-based solutions. Certicom holds more than 20 Suite B-related patents.
“Cryptographic algorithms are changing. With NIST’s requirement to cease using RSA-1024 after the year 2008 for PIV key management, TI is demonstrating security leadership by offering an e-ID platform with 256-bit ECC that is as strong as RSA with 3,072 bits. As the market for contactless technologies, such as e-passports, continues on a path of rapid growth, Certicom is completely committed to ensuring that the cryptographic security of these devices can be made robust well into the foreseeable future,” said Bill Lattin, chief technology officer at Certicom. “We look forward to further collaborations with TI to offer their customers our efficient, next-generation crypto solutions.”
About Texas Instruments
A technology pioneer in secured contactless applications, Texas Instruments delivers many innovative contactless and secured products to the forefront of electronic ID and payments markets. ExxonMobil’s SpeedPass™ and the American Express Blue Card leveraged TI’s technical expertise in providing the first “pay-at-the-pump” application and the innovative clear contactless credit card design. TI is developing faster, more secure smart IC applications for the next generation of contactless electronic government-issued identification. High-performance and low-power contactless applications continue to be evidence of TI’s strength in designing robust, yet streamlined products that execute more efficiently. Capitalizing on its competencies in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing and microelectronics packaging, TI is a visionary leader and at the forefront of establishing new markets and international standards for secured contactless applications. For more information, call 1-800-962-7343 or visit the Web site at www.ti.com/govid.
Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers’ real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company includes the Education Technology business. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at www.ti.com.
About Certicom
Certicom protects the value of content, applications and devices with government-approved security. Adopted by the National Security Agency (NSA) for government communications, Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) provides the most security per bit of any known public-key scheme. As the global leader in ECC, Certicom security offerings are currently licensed to more than 300 customers including General Dynamics, Motorola, Oracle, Research In Motion and Unisys. Founded in 1985, Certicom’s corporate offices are in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada with worldwide sales and marketing headquarters in Reston, Virginia and offices in the U.S., Canada, Europe and China. Visit www.certicom.com.
Certicom, Certicom Security Architecture, Certicom Trust Infrastructure, Certicom CodeSign, Certicom KeyInject, Security Builder, Security Builder API, Security Builder BSP, Security Builder Crypto, Security Builder ETS, Security Builder GSE, Security Builder IPSec, Security Builder NSE, Security Builder PKI and Security Builder SSL are trademarks or registered trademarks of Certicom Corp. All other companies and products listed herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information subject to change.
Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information includes information concerning the Company’s future financial performance, business strategy, plans, goals and objectives. When used in such documents, the words “plans”, “expects”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “will”, “believes” or variations of such words and phrases often, but not always, identify forward looking statements. Factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: the ability of the Company to successfully implement its strategic initiatives and whether such strategic initiatives will yield the expected benefits; the ability of the Company to develop, promote and protect its proprietary technology security breaches or defects in the Company’s products; competitive conditions in the businesses in which the Company participates; changes in consumer spending; the outcome of legal proceedings as they arise; general economic conditions and normal business uncertainty; consolidation in the Company’s industry and by its customers; customer preferences towards product offerings; the risk that customers may cancel their contracts with the Company; reliance on a limited number of customers; demand for ECC-based technology; performance of the Company’s management team and the Company’s ability to attract and retain skilled employees; operating the Company’s business profitably; fluctuations in revenue and foreign currency exchange rates; interest rate fluctuations and other changes in borrowing costs; the ability to develop and maintain strategic relationships; and other factors identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual information form dated July 26, 2007 and filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Certicom Contact
John Conrad
Merritt Group Inc.
(703) 390-1538
[email protected]
TI Contact
Cindy Huff
TI-RFID Systems
(870) 688-3974
[email protected]
Ashley Peterson
Bridgeman Communications
(617) 742-7270
[email protected]
