Product category: Embedded Software and Operating Systems
News Release from: ARM | Subject: TrustZone technology-optimized software
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 15 July 2004

Software aims to
secure mobile transactions

New security software will provide consumers with a more secure environment for electronic transactions using ARM powered mobile phones, payment terminals, set-top boxes and other consumer devices

ARM and Trusted Logic are to develop security software that will provide consumers with a more secure environment for electronic transactions such as mobile banking, e-commerce and digital rights management using ARM powered mobile phones, payment terminals, set-top boxes and other consumer devices.

This new security software coupled with the ARM Trustzone technology will also protect against common hardware attacks and frauds such as mobile phone security codes being overwritten.

If these codes are overwritten it means operators lose revenue and ultimately increases the cost to mobile phone users.

"Security is the mobile industry's next frontier".

"Making products such as mobile handsets more secure is a prerequisite to launching a wide-scale service platform to the user community at large", said Dominique Bolignano, President and CEO, Trusted Logic.

"By concentrating security functions into a single, specialised software component, our TrustZone technology-optimised solution will provide operators and handset vendors with portable, interoperable and certifiable security".

The new software will complement the TrustZone microprocessor technology, offering a secure environment and a common framework for less fragmented secure software development.

Common security building blocks and a consistent framework across a number of platforms and applications reduce the OEM's time to market, development and integration costs when embedding security into devices.

"The addition of this TrustZone technology-optimised software to our current microprocessor offerings, means that we can offer OEMs a suite of flexible security options that protects device integrity and personal information -giving consumers and manufacturers peace of mind", said Mary Inglis, Director, OS and Alliances, ARM.

"We are launching this new solution on the back of great take-up of the ARM architecture for security-sensitive applications such as 32bit smart cards, where we have shipped more than 15 million units; and point-of-sale terminals, where we are the leading microprocessor solution".

Through this agreement, ARM will also offer Trusted Logic's current security module, which is compatible with all ARM cores and provides a smooth upgrade path to TrustZone technology-enabled cores.

This will enable ARM Partners to implement a more secure software framework across their current ARM core-based solutions.

"With new devices on the market designed to support playback of protected audio/video content, having a security infrastructure across multiple open operating environments is critical to reducing time to market for device manufacturers", said Erin Cullen, Lead Product Manager in the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft Corp.

"TrustZone's support for the Windows Media DRM 10 platform in their hardware and new technology-optimised software is a positive step toward this goal".

"TI was the first in the industry to include hardware security features in the latest generation of GSM/GPRS chipsets and continues to lead in addressing the need for a trusted computing environment in portable wireless devices", said Paul Werp, Marketing Director for TI's Cellular Systems.

"Securing handsets becomes especially critical as new applications emerge".

"ARM TrustZone technology complements TI's wireless system solutions technology to support wireless network protection from malicious attack and to help secure e-commerce transactions, downloadable applications, games and media content".

"Orange Research and Innovation welcomes this partnership between ARM and Trusted Logic", said Laurent Coureau, SIM and Security Program Manager, Orange Research and Innovation.

"Thanks to this opportunity, operators could take advantage of the best of ARM TrustZone technology and Trusted Logic security software in order to develop attractive services requiring more security and interoperability".

"Providing a common security infrastructure across multiple platforms is key to the deployment of exciting new services to customers", said Simon Watt, Senior Director of Technology, Universal Music International.

"TrustZone provides a major step toward this future".

The new TrustZone technology-optimised software will be available in Q1 2005; Trusted Logic's Security Module will be available in Q3 2004.

Both products are available for licensing exclusively from ARM now.

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