Logica awarded first approved crypto IT security testing lab outside North America.

Logica has announced its security practice has become the first testing house outside North America to be accredited to validate and measure the effectiveness of cryptographic IT security products. Logica is now one of only seven companies worldwide that has the authority to validate cryptographic products being sold predominantly to North American government departments and financial institutions. Logica has also won its first Cryptographic Module Validation Programme (CMVP) testing initiative with a European vendor within the security industry.

Logica's accreditation follows months of continuous testing and on-site assessment by a joint team from the US and Canadian governments. As a result, Logica now joins the CMVP as an official validator of CMVP solutions (1).

Currently, any Federal agency procuring IT security products must ensure that they have the required certification--Common Criteria or, for cryptographic modules, FIPS 140. This standard is also rapidly being adopted by both commercial and government organisations worldwide as a benchmark for cryptography products.

Annabelle Lee, director of the CMVP said, "We are excited that Logica has joined the Cryptographic Module Validation Programme and congratulate them on having successfully completed a very complex accreditation process to become the first CMVP laboratory outside North America. The accreditation process is technically demanding and Logica demonstrated that they have met the high standards required of all CMVP testing laboratories."

Simon Milford, CMVP laboratory director, Logica, added, "This success is a great achievement for Logica and builds on an already strong reputation that our Security Practice has in the field of security validation and testing. Our certification enables us to offer a full range of testing and evaluation services to clients and provides greater opportunities to companies outside of North America who seek FIPS 140 validation."