Eracom Claims Cryptography Speed Record

Disclaimer: This information comes from sources that cannot be verified. As such, make no assumptions about its completeness or accuracy. We endeavor to keep this information up to date as much as possible. Feel free to send comments/ updates to the Security News Editor.

1 May 1997, Newsbytes:

Australia - Eracom Claims Cryptography Speed Record

Brisbane, Australia: Australian IT security products developer Eracom claims it has developed one of the world's first PC-based PCI bus cryptographic processor which can punch through cryptographic traffic at up to 30 times the speed of ISA bus products.

The company says it has invested "a six-figure sum" and two years of R&D to develop the CSA7000 crypto processor. It features a 25MHz Intel 80386EX on-board processor and a dedicated DES processing chip which can push through 56-bit encrypted data at 17 megabits per second.

According to Eracom export manager Vince Lee, the CSA7000 device is on the market ahead of other PCI-bus crypto-processors from overseas competitors. First sales are said to have been made to organizations in Asia, Europe and North America.

Purchasers include an unnamed a offshore online betting shop, and "a major Japanese technology manufacturer" which is said to be using the system to secure a multimedia system for a commercial airline.

The plan is to wrack up export sales in Europe through a 50-50 joint venture with a German partner company.

In Australia, pricing for the CSA 7000 family is around $3000 with discounts for multiple purchases.

Eracom manufactures encryptors at its headquarters near Brisbane, Queensland. The company claims around 30,000 earlier models have been installed worldwide by financial institutions, governments and other organizations.

(19970430/Contact: Vince Lee, Eracom, +617 5593 4911 http://www.eracom.com.au/ e-mail: info@eracom.com.au