IBM Corp and Intel Corp are hoping to boost the adoption of the CDSA internet security specification through a joint promotional effort. Originally developed by Intel at its Architecture Labs, the Common Data Security Architecture is a framework for building internet security that runs on multiple platforms. IBM contributed to the specification by providing cryptographic key management capabilities, and the Open Group recently adopted it as a standard. Security Dynamics Inc’s RSA Data Security Inc division is another influential supporter. As part of the effort, IBM says it will ship the first CDSA-compliant product in the market, KeyWorks, on AIX, OS/400 and OS/390 operating systems, and also use it within its Vault Directory certificate management software and eNetwork Firewall for AIX and NT products. Intel said it will use selected KeyWorks technologies for its CDSA reference implementation of CDSA, and will also embed CDSA security capabilities within future Intel core chips, something that IBM said it will take advantage in future KeyWorks products. CDSA is also being used as part of e-business security setups, and can work in conjunction with the Internet Engineering Task Force’s PKIX Public Key Encryption standard. IBM recently provided a PKIX reference implementation to the IETF. The two say they will promote the general adoption of CDSA and hold joint educational activities for the technical community.
