Arcot Systems Inc has patented a technology called cryptographic camouflage for protecting private keys. A new relationship with IBM will make the WebFort camouflage technology available to customers of IBM’s Vault Registry. The key is placed in a software container, and whether that container is on a private desktop or a publicly accessible PC, WebFort protects it from interference and notifies the server if anyone tries to hack it. Arcot hopes the technology will replace smart cards and biometrics as ways of protecting the private key. For a start, it’s cheaper – no more hardware readers are required. What’s more, a roaming user can download his or her credentials from any network-connected device.
