Patented Countermeasures Help Industry Protect Against Differential Power Analysis Security Risks

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., August 3, 2004–Furthering its mission to help the smart card industry understand, evaluate and implement differential power analysis (DPA) resistant solutions, Cryptography Research, Inc. today announced it has joined the Smart Card Alliance, an industry group committed to the development and deployment of smart cards within the United States. With its broad portfolio of patents covering countermeasures to DPA vulnerabilities, Cryptography Research is able to help licensed chip manufacturers and smart card systems integrators protect their products against DPA-related security risks.

“We look forward to working closely with Smart Card Alliance members to help the industry develop secure products,” said Kit Rodgers, director of licensing at Cryptography Research. “We are excited about contributing to the Alliance’s efforts to increase the success of the North American smart card market.”

“Cryptography Research has long been a pioneer in developing and analyzing techniques for protecting smart cards against DPA and other attacks,” said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance. “I am pleased to welcome Cryptography Research to the Smart Card Alliance. Their expertise and innovative contributions to smart card security make them a significant addition to the group.”

Cryptography Research develops security technologies that are used in smart cards. The company’s DPA-related patents provide the basis for implementing effective DPA countermeasures in smart cards and other devices. The company also provides the DPA Workstation™ to help companies improve resistance to DPA attacks, and to help unlicensed vendors recognize the need to obtain licenses and protect their products.

Differential power analysis and related attacks were first discovered at Cryptography Research by Paul Kocher, Joshua Jaffe and Benjamin Jun. DPA involves monitoring the fluctuating electrical power consumption of smart cards and other devices then applying advanced statistical methods to infer secret keys and other information. Effective resistance to DPA is required to prevent counterfeiting of digital cash, impersonation, piracy of digital content, election fraud and other attacks.

Cryptography Research has been awarded a portfolio of fundamental patents covering countermeasures to DPA attacks, including U.S. patents #6,654,884; #6,539,092; #6,381,699; #6,298,442; #6,327,661; #6,278,783; and #6,304,658. Other Cryptography Research patents are issued and pending in the United States, Europe, Japan, Canada and other countries.

About the Smart Card Alliance

The Smart Card Alliance is a not-for profit, multi-industry association of over 100 member firms working to accelerate the widespread acceptance of multiple application smart card technology. Through specific projects such as education programs, market research, advocacy, industry relations, and open forums the Alliance keeps its members connected to industry leaders and innovative thought. The Alliance also is the single industry voice for smart cards, leading industry discussion on the impact and value of smart cards in the U.S. More information about the Alliance is available at https://www.securetechalliance.org.

According to the Smart Card Alliance, in 2003 the United States became the third largest market for microprocessor-based smart cards in the world, with more than 70 million smart cards shipped to customers.