SafeNet Luna cryptographic platform enters Common Criteria and SigG evaluation process.

SafeNet, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFNT), setting the standard for information security, has announced that the cryptographic platform on which the Luna SA and SP hardware security modules are based, has entered Common Criteria (CC) and German Digital Signature Law (SigG) evaluation process. Already FIPS 140-2 Level 2 and 3 certified, SafeNet's Luna HSM line are the first HSM devices to enter the testing phase for CC and SigG certification.

Common Criteria was developed through collaboration among national security and standards organizations within Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, as a common standard to replace their existing security evaluation criteria. As such, it is strongly supported by each of the organizations involved. The national organizations have worked with ISO to ensure that the CC was suitable to become a formal standard, and it is rapidly becoming the world standard and preferred method for security specifications and evaluations.

"SafeNet is serving a critical high assurance security need in the public and private sector for applications like e-billing, qualified certificate-based systems, and time stamping. Having our Luna HSM platform certified for both Common Criteria and SigG, as well as FIPS certification, allows us to serve a global, high-performance identity management market," said Chris Fedde, Senior Vice President and General Manager for SafeNet's Enterprise Security Division. "We feel we are establishing a gold standard for security in server-based applications and management of digital identities, as well as leading the charge to develop high assurance security for sensitive applications."

In the hardware security market Common Criteria certification is becoming a regulatory requirement in a number of areas, especially in the government and military arena, as well as the market for the provision of qualified certificates. In addition, financial and insurance constituencies are starting to evaluate products and solutions with these certifications. In the absence of certified HSM products, users are forced to rely on Common Criteria certified smart cards. Having SafeNet's Luna cryptographic platform certified solves the problem of cryptographic performance, storage, and scalability.

In addition, the German hardware security market for qualified digital signatures is only accessible to vendors who are compliant with the SigG legislation. Currently the only devices that are SigG compliant are smartcards, and therefore all security projects in Germany are legally bound to use only smartcard-based hardware. Now with the development of SafeNet's digital identities products being evaluated, organizations that seek a need for high assurance security and performance can use secure appliances rather than smart cards.

TUViT, an independent technical testing and evaluation standards body, is evaluating the cryptographic platform on which the SafeNet's Luna Identity Management line is based. The evaluation/certification is going to be performed in accordance with Common Criteria for Information Security Evaluation (CC), V2.1, August 1999, and based on accepted EU Protection Profiles for Secure Signature-Creation Devices and Cryptographic Modules for Certificate Signing Operations.