Irdeto, a provider of content and business model protection software and services, has unveiled Conditional Access System version 3 (CAS 3), the new version of content protection offering that leverages hardware platform, software technology and cryptography.
Irdeto said that the new version includes updated head-end components – the Key Management System, Key Server, and the Premium smart card. The offering is fully backward compatible and supports all deployed Irdeto smart cards and set-top boxes.
According to Irdeto, the new offering comes with an enhanced system design resulting from a threat analysis, it enables responses to threats and ease of key cycling to minimise customer impact in the event of a head-end breach. The company uses new cryptographic developments to provide security, enhanced resistance against attacks through updateable algorithms, prevention of key breach in storage and distribution, and security isolation through operator encryption layer.
In addition, the company’s Premium smart card offers renewability through flash-based memory, extending card lifetime. The new version introduces new and improved tools, including a heuristic algorithm to detect smart cards used for analogue re-broadcasting on cable networks and an improved Communications Interface layer with encryption to enable prosecution when a Premium card is used in emulation set-top boxes.
The company said that its Key Server is based on a FIPS4 certified, tamper-resistant hardware security module platform used in security environments.
Andrew Wajs, CTO of Irdeto, said: “Irdeto CAS 3 was designed with renewable security in its core, ensuring quick recoverability in case of an attack. We have the unique advantage of being able to cycle operator-specific algorithms indefinitely, unlike alternative offerings that restrict the number of algorithms personalised on the card.”
