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April 07, 2003

LEVEL FOUR SOFTWARE LAUNCHES TRIPLE-DES COMPONENT

3DES FastTrack supporting Triple-DES compliance ahead of 2005 deadline

London, UK, 7 April 2003 - Level Four Software, a leading provider of ATM test and development software, today announced 3DES FastTrack, a new component of its Channel Development Suite, designed to help banks prepare their ATM networks for compliance with the Triple-DES security standard being mandated by the major card networks. In response to other technology advances in ATM security, 3DES FastTrack will include additional functionality to aid banks in the introduction of remote key management strategies and Encrypted PIN Pad (EPP) devices. Banks are being encouraged to adopt these new technologies to further secure the ATM environment and reduce risk.

International card issuers are pushing the introduction of Triple-DES at the ATM to address security concerns about the effectiveness of the current DES cryptography. The risk of the coded PIN being deciphered is eliminated as Triple-DES applies the DES formula three times, making the encrypted PIN value infinitely more complex, ultimately improving the security of the PIN transactions at the ATM. In fact, a quantum increase in processing power would be required to crack the Triple-DES codes.

Using 3DES FastTrack, banks can simulate an ATM with Triple-DES cryptography and run thorough tests from a desktop environment, eliminating the need for time consuming manual testing. If an error occurs during testing, the 3DES FastTrack component is able to rapidly identify the source of the problem. The complexity of Triple-DES standard means thorough testing of the entire transaction chain is essential. Level Four's tools ensure the testing process is conducted effectively and efficiently so that when the technology is implemented the consumer does not see any change in service.

"The credit and debit card industry is highly dependent on PIN numbers for the authentication of transactions. With the introduction of EMV smart cards and PIN at Point of Sale (PoS), ensuring the security of the PIN and consumer data information becomes even more important," says Jan Rees, Business Development Manager, Level Four Software. "3DES FastTrack will enable banks to trouble shoot new ATM security and risk management features with confidence and be ready for the mandated Triple-DES compliance in 2005."

The 3DES FastTrack module will also provide vendor independent testing for ATM key management strategies. The management of master keys within banks and branch networks is one area being addressed to help improve operational efficiency. By introducing an electronic method of managing and distributing keys, banks can centralise this process, reducing time, risk and human error. Test data can be saved and reloaded to initialise the system to a known point, and a full narrative of key management activities undertaken is maintained to simplify fault analysis and problem resolution.

The introduction of EPP devices means the PIN number is immediately encrypted before being visible to the ATM application. By deploying EPP, the ATM software will no longer deal with a PIN number in its original format, it will only ever deal with an encrypted value of the PIN number, therefore improving the overall security of the ATM environment. Level Four's 3DES FastTrack solution imitates this interaction and the functionality of an EPP, such as key storage, secure key exchange and the generation of the encrypted PIN value (PIN block generation), enabling a bank to test that its whole transaction network is able to process requests incorporating the new security technology.

Level Four's 3DES FastTrack tool is a new component of the ATM Channel Development Suite - a comprehensive toolkit that allows financial institutions to develop, test and rapidly deploy new content and applications within their ATM delivery channels. The ATM Channel Development Suite enables financial institutions to offer relevant, personalised and interactive functionality to customers through existing ATM networks.

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