March 23, 2007
NTT Advanced Technology Corporation
NTT Advanced Technology Corporation
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May 29, 2002 NTT-AT to Supply a Mobile Internet VPN System "MobileSAFE VPN"
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[Background]
As the use of the Internet from cellular phones expands through such services as NTT DoCoMo's i-mode, there is a growing demand to use cellular phones as terminals for corporate applications. To meet such a business demand, NTT-AT has been marketing a personal authentication system for mobile terminals, called MobileSAFE. This one-time-password authentication system is based on a secure yet simple algorithm running on Java applications on cellular phones, which achieves both user-friendliness and high security in mobile Internet access, providing protection against various threats, such as snoofing when the terminal is lost or stolen, passwords being stolen by server hacking, and eavesdropping or tampering with the communications line. Highly valued for these advanced features, MobileSAFE won a Grand Prix Award in the Field of Network Security in last year's NetWorld+Interop2001 Tokyo.
Since the Java application functionality has been expanded in NTT DoCoMo's FOMA and 504i series, NTT-AT has added an encrypting browser function to MobileSAFE to provide Japan's first mobile Internet VPN environment. This will be marketed under the name MobileSAFE VPN.
[Outline of the system]
A secure yet simple one-time-password personal authentication function and an encrypted communication-capable mobile Internet browser function are implemented on the Java application in cellular phones. After both the call originating terminal and the call originating user have been reliably authenticated, the encrypting browser receives the authentication information seamlessly and carries out encrypted communication with the server with a key that changes with each call origination. This arrangement securely protects the information communicated between the terminal and the server, providing a mobile Internet VPN environment characterized by both user-friendly operation and high security.
[Features]
1. Highly secure authentication and communication plus user-friendly operation
The one-time-password-based personal authentication using the Java application (SAS: Simple and Secure authentication*3) not only allows user-friendly operation but also prevents the password from being stolen. In addition, the personal authentication information is created afresh for each call origination from the password entered in the terminal and one of the random numbers stored in the terminal, the random number used changing each time. This prevents snoofing in the event of the terminal being lost or stolen.
Furthermore, the newly created personal authentication information is passed seamlessly to the encrypting browser so that it will be used for encryption of the information communicated between the terminal and the server. Thus, no eavesdropped information can be deciphered.
2. Reasonable construction and operation costs
Since a secure VPN can be constructed on the mobile Internet with reliable personal authentication and encryption, the construction of the VPN is far easier and the operation cost is much lower than that of using leased lines. MobileSAFE VPN is also superior to any hardware-token-based one-time password products because it is easier to use and its introduction cost is only about one-third to one-half of that of such a hardware system.')
Although encryption processing is necessary in MobileSAFE VPN, it is much simpler than SSL*4. The volume of data communicated is therefore drastically reduced, consequently reducing the communications cost.
3. Development of easy-to-use application
With MobileSAFE VPN, the customer can develop user-friendly mobile Internet applications and also reduce communications costs. It enables the customer to achieve an easy-to-use and flexible user interface and a drastic reduction in the volume of data communicated between the terminal and the server, while maintaining security at a level equivalent to that of SSL.
| [System requirements] | |
| -- | Terminal |
| NTT DoCoMo's i-appli and 30KB compatible cellular phones: FOMA (2002 and 2101 series) and 504i series (in future release) |
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| -- | Server |
| Linux, etc. (with a Java Servelet and database environment) | |
| [Price] | |
| -- | From 450,000 yen for 25 users (including the price of MobileSAFE: 375,000 yen) |
| <Glossary> | ||
| *1: VPN (Virtual Private Network) | ||
| The service of using public circuits (such as telephone circuits and the Internet) as if they were leased lines. The cost of a VPN is much lower than that of using leased lines. | ||
| *2: One-time-password personal authentication | ||
| A secure personal authentication system that uses a different password each time an access attempt is made, in order to prevent snoofing in the event that the password becomes known to an unauthorized person. | ||
| *3: SAS (Simple and Secure) authentication | ||
| One-time-password personal authentication based on a unique algorithm to achieve simplicity in processing and high security. It was invented by Professor Akihiro Shimizu, who has filed a patent application jointly with NTT-AT in Japan and the U.S.A . | ||
| *4: SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) | ||
| An encrypted communication protocol developed by Netscape Communications in the U.S.A., which combines secret key encryption and public key encryption to prevent eavesdropping, snoofing and tampering. | ||
For inquiries, contact:
| Shibuya or Hada Technology Department-1 Systems Integration Division NTT Advanced Technology Corporation TEL: +81-044-220-2113; FAX: +81-044-220-2025 |
| 1: | i-appli is a trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. | |
| 2: | i-mode is a trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. | |
| 3: | MobileSAFE is a trademark of NTT Advanced Technology Corporation | |
| 4: | Please contact NTT-AT for information on compatible cellular phone models. |
