Remote Key Load Simplifies Secure Key Management
- Filed under: Announcements, News, Spy and Security
- Date: Nov 27,2008
RKL technology takes human intervention out of the equation for a more cost-effective solution
Sagem Denmark, an Ingenico Group company, the world’s leading provider of payment solutions today announces the launch of Remote Key Load (RKL), a fully automatic exchange of Triple DES master keys for use in maintaining the high level of security of ATMs, thereby mitigating the need for human intervention.
ATM security is growing increasingly expensive and regulated. Ensuring that ATMs are locked down and protected has become more complicated since the advent of Triple DES and the requirement that ATMs use encrypting PIN pads.
Those additional requirements add to the cost and complexity of key management by necessitating longer keys and more hands-on interaction. Manual, more traditional key loading requires two different employees or technicians to visit each individual ATM to enter only parts of the master key. In addition to increased personnel costs, this method doubles the potential for error.
RKL eliminates human-error concerns and improves key-loading efficiency. According to Lars Clausen, Vice President of Sagem Denmark, “As long as a system meets some basic requirements, installing the first 3DES master key is a matter of connecting the ATM to the host via regular channels and running the Remote Key Load protocol. The installation takes place in about 10 seconds — without the need for human involvement.”
According to Sagem Denmark, these basic requirements include: the ATM, host-ATM protocol, ATM’s EPP and the host’s HSM must all support RKL; the host must have a host key pair and a suitable certificate on the public key; and the EPP must have two key pairs with corresponding certificates. Sagem Denmark will assist and support the customer with a correct and efficient implementation of the RKL solution.
Beyond cutting costs and simplifying key management, RKL incorporates several security features, such as mutual authentication, meaning the host and the EPP can verify each other in a single operation. Other advantages include protection from inadvertently reinstalling old key values, an encrypted transport of the master key and a cryptographically signed message after a successful key transfer.
Sagem Denmark – an Ingenico subsidiary
Ingenico is the world’s leading provider of payment solutions, with more than 15 million terminals deployed across the globe. Delivering the very latest secure electronic payment technologies, transaction management and the widest range of value-added services, Ingenico is shaping the future direction of the payment solutions market.
Leveraging on its global presence and local expertise, Ingenico is reinforcing its leadership by taking banks and businesses beyond payment through offering comprehensive solutions, a true source of differentiation and new revenues streams. www.ingenico.com
Denmark-based Sagem Denmark specializes in high-security payment solutions, including encrypting PIN pads for ATMs and kiosks, unattended payment solutions for self-service gas stations, parking and ticket vending and EMV-compliant POS terminals.
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