A tiny, two-year-old French start-up called CESIR, Societe de Conseil et d’Expertise en Systeme Informatique et Reseaux SA, has developed a tool for securing digital information exchanges on Macintoshes and Unix workstations. Rather unfortunately called Stool, the software toolbox offers high-level security functions, including administration of user groups, user authentication, integrity and confidentiality in file exchanges and in communication between distributed applications. CESIR says the product adheres to international standards in cryptography, such as Data Encryption Algorithm and RSA Security Inc’s encryption. The product, which sells for between $380 to $955 for individual workstation versions and $57,145 to $190,480 for the systems integrator version, is immediately available in library and integrated formats on Macintosh and Unix workstations running Unix System V.4.3 and Motif. The product was developed with aid from France’s national agency for research and development. Stephane Natkin, the product’s developer, says there are few similar products on the market. They are mostly freeware products and modules within other toolboxes that are aimed more at local file locking rather than exchange of data, he said. Any product that uses cryptography must be approved by the government before it can be sold, Natkin said. You have to get special permission, from either the Ministry of the Interior or, in the US, Customs. In France, we have to go all the way to the Prime Minister’s office! Up until a few years ago such a product in France was considered an arm of war, he said. CESIR is awaiting response from Edouard Balladur’s office and has applied as well to the major European countries for approval.
