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DHS Awards Contract to Secure64(Wireless News Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Secure64 Software announced that the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate has awarded a $1.2 million contract to the company to use its Genuinely Secure SourceT micro OS in an initiative to secure one of the most critical elements of the Internet infrastructure. The contract requires delivery of a simple, automated solution to implement Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC). DNSSEC adds a critically needed level of trust to the Internet by allowing users to know with certainty that their Internet-based communications such as web site visits and email correspondence actually connect to the parties they intend to reach. DNSSEC thwarts attacks such as pharming, cache poisoning and DNS redirection that have been used to commit fraud, distribute malware, or steal personal or confidential information. Through this contract, Secure64 will develop a DNSSEC signing solution that meets the needs of the US government, businesses and the DNS community for simplicity and security. The solution will be based on Secure64 DNS, a DNS application with a set of security properties. Based on Secure64 s Genuinely Secure SourceT micro OS, Secure64 DNS is immune to compromise from rootkits and malware and resistant to denial-of-service attacks. SourceT enables automation of online key management processes within the DNS server, which is not possible on general purpose operating systems because of their inherent security limitations. Enabling trust in the DNS infrastructure is critical not only to national security, but also to the health of the global economy, because of the significant role that the Internet has in day-to-day operations of businesses worldwide. Pharming and other attacks erode user confidence in the security of the Internet, but there is no universal way to stop these attacks today. This leads organizations to invest time and money on point solutions that address only part of the problem. When widely deployed, DNSSEC eliminates these attacks, and also enables new and existing capabilities which can minimize spam, said Mark Beckett, vice president of marketing for Secure64. Unfortunately, DNSSEC adoption has been hampered by the lack of commercial products that make it simple and secure. Beckett also said, Secure64 s technology was selected for the initiative because it meets the need for a Trusted Computing Platform that can dramatically simplify and automate the complex processes involved in DNSSEC key management and zone signing while maintaining the highest level of security. This contract will allow Secure64 to deliver a solution that enables governments, businesses and organizations across the world to move forward rapidly with implementations of DNSSEC s enhanced security protocols. DNSSEC is a very important technology to increase the level of trust in our Internet communications infrastructure, said Steve Crocker, CEO of Shinkuro and chair of ICANN's Security and Stability Advisory Committee. DNSSEC adoption has so far been hampered by the complexity and cost associated with developing and deploying an easy-to-use zone signing application. Solutions which simplify and automate the deployment of DNSSEC will help accelerate its adoption worldwide. The company noted that once the product that results from this contract has been completed, U.S. government agencies, Internet Service Providers, businesses and other organizations can purchase it for broad-scale deployment that would further secure DNS infrastructure around the world. ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) ((Distributed on behalf of 10Meters via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com)) ((10Meters - http://www.10meters.com)) Copyright ? 2008 Wireless News |