RSA Data Security Inc has signed a deal with a the cable industry in an intriguing new application for the emerging public-key cryptography approach to e-commerce: the two will create a new security system to protect consumer services expected to be soon available off digital cable networks in the US. Cable Labs is the R&D arm of the US cable television industry, for which has been built a multi-layered network security architecture called MCNS Removable/Renewable Security System by MCNS itself (or Multimedia Cable Network System Holdings), a partnership of cable luminaries TCI Inc, Time Warner Inc’s Cable subsidiary, Cox Communications Inc and Comcast Corp. In particular, the cable people want the technology to prevent fraud and piracy (theft of service and denial of service) over its upcoming Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS), OpenCable and PacketCable initiatives, which are expected to carry various entertainment, voice and data services. The RSA products in MCNS Removable/Renewable Security System will help prevent these attacks by providing secure authentication and communication between the various components of the digital cable network, such as set-top boxes, cable modems and video servers, located at subscriber homes, cable operator sites and content provider locations. The agreement is a major extension of RSA’s public key and symmetric cryptography technology outside its traditional internet and intranet markets.
