Gemalto unveils new virtualized encryption platform

Gemalto has launched a new virtualized network encryption platform as part of its efforts to help organizations worldwide improve their data security needs.

As enterprises and service providers bring in more network function virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN) technologies into their business, they can also pose additional security challenges.

NFV and SDN allow organizations to manage their networks and cloud-based services. These services provide operational benefits because they eliminate the need for dedicated network encryption hardware.

However, the virtualized architecture that NFV and SDN use is not bulletproof. Gemalto's senior vice president of Encryption Products, Todd Moore, explains:

"More and more organisations are embracing the advantages of virtualised networks to deliver cost-effective scalability, flexibility and network management to the network edge. Consequently, network services require trusted virtualised encryption for optimum data security.

Gemalto,launched its SafeNet Virtual Encryptor CV1000, which leverages the security and performance of the hardware-based SafeNet High Speed Encryptor family.

However because the Virtual Encryptor CV1000 is a virtualized security appliance, it is designed to secure data in motion across both software-defined wide area networks (SD-WAN) and traditional networks.  It can encrypt at rates of up to 5 Gbps.

SafeNet High Speed Encryptors are the first to offer Transport Independent Mode, which enables organisations to encrypt data across mixed high speed WAN links (Layers 2, 3 and 4).

This feature is currently available for the SafeNet Virtual Encryptor CV1000, and will be available for the hardware-based SafeNet High Speed Encryptors later this year.

 "Gemalto's launch of a virtualised network encryption platform redefines network data security by providing the crypto-agility required to ensure sensitive data and transmissions remain secure, regardless of network design," Moore comments.

Encryption provider Senetas partnered with Gemalto to build the SafeNet Virtual Encryptor.

"As organisations increasingly embrace cloud-based applications and their use of multiple network types from Ethernet to MPLS, Senetas and Gemalto are ahead of the curve in providing seamless concurrent multi-layer network traffic encryption to ensure the best in network security and performance available today," comments Senetas CEO Andrew Wilson.

The SafeNet Virtual Encryptor CV1000 features:

• Virtualized Network Functionality reduces dependence on dedicated network encryption hardware appliances for both enterprises and network operators.
• Reduced Cost of Ownership makes the SafeNet Virtual Encryptor CV1000 up to 10 times more affordable than hardware-based appliances.
• Rapid Deployment and Scalability enables organisations to spin up a virtual machine to protect data across the network rather than having to physically deploy hardware at each end point. 
• Crypto-Agile Encryption Across All Network Layers with Transport Independent Mode, providing the ability to encrypt traffic across Layers 2, 3 and 4 with optimised performance and robust encryption, including support for custom algorithms.
• Combined Encryption Key Management option, integrates with SafeNet KeySecure for enhanced key lifecycle management.