Seamless Fusion of Secure Software and Trusted USB Token for Protecting Enterprise & Government Data

Abstract

Smart cards have been used in a wide variety of vertical markets delivering security services related to physical access control, user authentication and high value data transactions. However, their adoption in plug-n-play removable data storage markets is generally hindered by their dependence on external smart card reader hardware, their proprietary communication protocol that requires installation of card specific middle-ware, and their limited storage capacity. This is particularly true when using smart cards to store encrypted bulk data that meets the stringent security requirements of government agencies and enterprise IT departments. This paper outlines some of these requirements and presents a unique hardware and software architecture to address them. It combines the copious storage capacity of USB mass storage tokens with the proven security features of smart cards without requiring any smart card specific infrastructure. The resulting USB composite token can be used as a secure flexible platform to build advanced data protection applications.