SecureDoc disk encryption software will help State Department meet HSPD-12 compliancy

Mississauga, Ontario – WinMagic Inc. (www.winmagic.com), the innovative leader in full-disk encryption solutions, announced that it is has begun working on a pilot project with the U.S. Department of State, which will lead the department to a Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) compliant solution.

The pilot project centers on the integration of a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card and biometrics with Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and disk encryption. WinMagic, along with Entrustr, Precise BiometricsT, SafeNetr, and VMwarer are working together on the pilot project.

“Proactive federal agencies recognize the necessity to integrate data protection solutions such as the full-disk encryption offered by WinMagic’s SecureDocr with already mandated authentication technologies,” says Thi Nguyen-Huu, CEO, WinMagic. “These agencies realize this will not only protect sensitive data on computers from both internal and external security breaches, but will also prevent unauthorized access from stolen laptops.

“We have supported smart cards and PKI at pre-boot since 2001,” adds Nguyen-Huu. “Our partnership with the companies in the pilot project for the Department of State shows that WinMagic is the obvious choice for government agencies looking for a way to maximize their investment in multifactor authentication technology and data security with a lower-cost solution that supports PKI technology and HSPD-12/PIV regulations.”

“Precise Biometrics is excited about our involvement with the innovative work being undertaken with WinMagic for the Department of State,” says Christer Bergman, president and CEO of Precise Biometrics. “We view the development of pre-boot authentication based on PIV and supporting HSPD-12 as an essential tool for truly securing the government’s critical IT infrastructure. We are proud to provide our Precise Match-on-CardT technology and our newly introduced Precise 200MC product to the program.”

“The fact that SecureDoc has successfully passed government PKI interoperability tests, such as the Defense Information Systems Agency’s PKI Interoperability Certification, highlights WinMagic’s smart card and PKI integration foresight years prior to HSPD 12,” says Nguyen-Huu.

“We believe that the imminent requirements of HSPD-12 and FIPS 201 will establish WinMagic’s SecureDoc as the de-facto pre-boot disk encryption standard by 2006.”

About Precise Biometrics Precise Biometrics AB is an innovative security company that supplies world-leading systems for fingerprint and smart card-based authentication. The company’s solutions replace keys, PIN codes and passwords and enhance the integrity of ID cards and passports. With its proprietary Precise Match-on-Card technology, the company is a market leader within smart ID cards. The product line includes systems for access control to buildings, computers and networks and for integration into ID cards and passports. The group headquarters are in Lund, Sweden. For more information, please visit www.precisebiometrics.com.

About WinMagic Inc. WinMagic Inc. develops disk encryption software. Its SecureDocr line of products ensures protection of sensitive information stored on desktops and laptops by employing authentication from password to hardware token, biometrics and PKI, commencing right at pre-boot time. WinMagic’s award-winning products fulfill the requirements of even the most security-conscious users by focusing on concrete security features while still offering unparalleled flexibility. Utilizing Public Key Cryptographic Standards PKCS-11 from the ground-up for extreme adaptability, the SecureDoc line has earned an impressive list of validations, including NIST Cryptographic Module Validation and FIPS 140-1 Level 2, and is scheduled to obtain the Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 4 (EAL-4) certification. WinMagic Inc. is a Canadian company based in Mississauga, Ontario.

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