The advent of third-generation cellular networks, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and m-commerce has created a need for security on users` personal devices. RSA Security plans to tackle this new wireless frontier.
RSA has already partnered with Nokia, Ericsson, 3Com and others involved with wireless devices to embed its BSAFE products in its partners` offerings.
It is also planning to bring out the Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS) security protocol, optimised for use over wireless communication networks. It has already unveiled the RC5 encryption algorithm - part of the WTLS specification - to the WAP Forum standards body.
"M-commerce will outstrip e-commerce," comments Richard Turner, RSA regional director of Europe, Middle East and Africa.
IGI Consulting, a US-based telecoms research firm, predicts an 88% increase worldwide in the number of smart phones produced between 2002 and 2003, jumping from 175 million to 330 million units. It also predicts personal digital assistant sales will increase 118% from 16 million in 2002 to 35 million in 2003.
"All of the technologies are starting to converge around one device," says Turner, who refers to these devices as personal trusted devices (PTD). Putting the 'T` in PTD is RSA`s current challenge.
"Consumers are more conscientious about security than they used to be," says Turner. "Lack of security is a consumer`s biggest fear when performing an e-commerce transaction."
He notes that security is now a huge factor for market receptiveness of product and service offerings.
"We are moving towards a virtual world," he comments, "and cryptography will be one of the underlying technologies of that world."
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