Forwarded From: Frans Mulschlegel <Mulschlegel_FJt_private> Forwarded From: Nicholas Charles Brawn <ncb05t_private> SAPHER SERVERS: British company 'unlocks' Open ... OTC 4/23/98 5:29 AM APR 22, 1998, M2 Communications - The technical innovation of a British Company, Sapher Servers Limited, has helped make possible the landmark announcement by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to connect Whitehall's classified networks with the Internet. Government computer systems that process highly classified data have previously had to be physically separated from any that connect to non-Government systems. One effect of this policy has been to limit the efficiency of Government users who routinely want to communicate with outside companies and agencies. The availability of trusted computing components, such as Sapher Servers' software, and the advent of the Government Secure Intranet, has meant that the Government could update its policy in this area. Sapher's secure messaging software (Secrets& for Exchange) ensures that every individual Government e-mail message can be tracked back to its author, while its message filtering technology interoperates with a firewall to guarantee that classified data does not leak into the outside world. The need for such connection is clear: open Government requires Government to establish strong connections with the public and be accessible themselves. As more of the population of the country is connected to the Internet at school, at home and in the workplace, there is no better way to communicate than by e-mail. At the same time the Government's classified data requires the strongest practical protection to ensure that sensitive information is not compromised. Sapher Servers Limited was prime contractor for the project to extend the Government Secure Intranet (GSI) in this way, and were supported by Trusted Information Systems (TIS) who supplied their Gauntlet firewall and mail guard technology. CESG (the information security division of GCHQ) acted as security advisers and provided key cryptographic software components. In an e-mail to Sapher Servers today, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Rt. Hon. Dr. David Clark, MP wrote: "I would like to thank you for the work you have done to make the Government Secure Intranet a reality. It is my aim to make the best use of Information Technology to deliver open, responsive and simpler Government. I am very pleased you have been able to provide such an outstanding product to assist us in achieving such a milestone." Sapher Servers' Operations Director Andrew Clark commented, "We are delighted to have led this project. The use of strong cryptography is pivotal to the success of this work and our solution, fully integrated with the user's e-mail software, makes it easy for non-Government departments to use the Internet without compromising security." How does it work? Whenever an e-mail message that originates from within the Government network is prepared for a recipient outside the Government network, the author is asked to confirm that the content is unclassified and digitally sign the message to endorse it. The resulting digital signature uniquely identifies the author and the message content. Messages that are addressed outside of Government are routed to the mail guard on the firewall that checks the digital signature and only allows messages to pass to the recipient if it is not classified and the signature is valid. Classified messages or those bearing an invalid (or no) digital signature are quarantined at the mail guard for investigation. See a. demonstration of the Cabinet Office system at InfoSec '98 The system as implemented in the Cabinet Office will be demonstrated at the InfoSec '98 Exhibition at Olympia from the 28th to 30th April. Sapher Servers and Secrets Sapher Servers is a UK company, formed in 1994, which specialises in off-the- shelf and bespoke cryptographic products for the Commercial and Government marketplace. Sapher Server's products are widely used within UK Government, as well as blue-chip commercial and financial organisations. Secrets uses strong cryptography to deliver the highest level of protection available anywhere in the world. Secrets is a market leading product and has received numerous awards including Editor's Choice and Best Buy from Secure Computing magazine. -o- Subscribe: mail majordomot_private with "subscribe isn". Today's ISN Sponsor: Dimensional Communications (www.dim.com)
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