Entrust Applauds Delivery of a National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace and Critical Implementation within the Federal Government
Federal Government Agencies Demonstrate Federal Bridge and Use of Key Authentication Technology to Secure Cross-Agency Information Sharing
18 Sep 2002
WASHINGTON, DC - Entrust, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENTU), a leading global provider of Internet security solutions and services, today applauded the Bush Administration following the release of the long-awaited White House Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, a document that includes key recommendations for the federal adoption of industry leading authentication and secure information-sharing technologies.
"Today marked a significant step in our nation's efforts to establish enhanced Internet security," said Bill Conner, chairman, CEO and president of Entrust. "The White House Strategy underscores the serious nature that cyber security threats pose, not only to our critical infrastructures, but ultimately to our economy and our citizens. More importantly, today's demonstration represents a critical step within the Federal Government to secure cross-agency information sharing."
Just prior to the Strategy's unveiling, the General Services Administration (GSA) provided a real-world example that mirrors recommendations within the White House Strategy, officially cross-certifying a number of federal agencies at a ceremony for participants in the Federal Bridge Certification Authority (FBCA) program, which was attended by Entrust and other private sector partners.
The FBCA, or Federal Bridge, is a multi-agency program powered by Entrust's public key infrastructure (PKI) technology that is now "up and running" and ties together the Department of Energy, Treasury, NASA, FDIC, NFC, Department of Defense and other government users to securely communicate and share information.
"As witnessed today at the official cross-certification ceremony for the Federal Bridge, our nation does not have to wait for the information age equivalent of the Manhattan Project to establish greater cyber security. The Federal Bridge is a perfect example of strategy meeting implementation, benefiting from PKI technologies that exist today, while providing the flexibility to meet the threats of tomorrow. The GSA, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and all of the departments and agencies that have pioneered the Federal Government's adoption of key authentication and secure information sharing technologies deserve great praise for their foresight, dedication and action," continued Conner.
About the Federal Bridge Certification Authority (FBCA)
Entrust's technology serves as the cornerstone of the Federal Bridge. The United States Federal Bridge Certification Authority (FBCA) was established to serve as a link between U.S. agencies for interoperable, secure information sharing and e-government transactions over the Internet, streamline internal processes, improve service delivery to citizens and agency trading partners, and protect against the threats of cyberterrorism. The Federal Bridge, overseen by the Federal PKI Steering Committee, provides the capability to align the diverse policies and procedures of different departments and agencies, and allows each entity to set its own policies and procedures relative to its security requirements. Government agency participants to date include the U.S. Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Energy, Treasury, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), as well as states such as Illinois and foreign governments including Canada.