stratsec opens FIPS certification lab in Canberra

Stuart Corner
Monday, 16 May 2011 20:10

Business IT - Technology

IT security company, stratsec - a subsidiary of BAE Systems - has set up the first Federal Information Processing Standard 140-2 (FIPS) lab in Australasia and Southeast Asia to offer customers a one-stop-shop service for the formal security certification needs of IT product developers.

FIPS are public standards developed by the United States Government for use in computer systems. FIPS140-2 is one of the standards for testing cryptographic modules that form a key component of most IT security products available today.

According to stratsec, "Formal security certification and testing services have been seen as high cost, time consuming activity. In the past, developers in our region have had to engage and support a FIPS certification in North America introducing additional costs to the process. Because the stratsec lab is based locally, we can deliver better value for customers."

stratsec claims that "A number of IT vendors seeking formal security evaluation services and into 28 markets around the world (through Common Criteria certification) are already using the stratsec lab, such as Microsoft and Juniper Networks internationally, and Cocoon and Noggin locally'¦

"The lab has created over twenty expert jobs in Southeast Asia with a further eight highly specialist roles in Canberra. It also provides an opportunity for university graduates to develop their skills by becoming deeply immersed in analysing and testing the security implementation of technologies, or conducting analysis of computer evidence.

stratsec CEO, Tim Scully, said: "In addition to creating employment, we believe the key benefit of the stratsec lab is be able to offer local access to global IT security markets, coupled with reduced costs and timeframes to receive formal security certification."