SanDisk Announces Plans To Partner With VeriSign, RSA Security and Safend To Limit Online Fraud and Theft of Corporate Data

SanDisk will add highly secure functionality to its line of USB flash drives and mobile cards using TrustedFlash™ technology. TrustedFlash combines SanDisk’s 32-bit controller architecture with an embedded high-performance cryptographic engine to provide real-time encryption and tamper-resistant security to keep stored data highly secure. As a secure platform that is transparent to the consumer, TrustedFlash is ideal for supporting one time passwords and other secure value-added applications.

The partnerships include: VeriSign, the leading provider of intelligent infrastructure services for Internet and telecommunications networks; RSA Security Inc., experts in protecting online identities and digital assets; and Safend which offers software that controls data access from the physical ports of all enterprise endpoints.

The first two of these partnerships will enable consumer-friendly, two-factor authentication (based on something you know such as a password or PIN and something you have, such as a USB flash drive) for end users who purchase SanDisk mass-storage devices at retail outlets and then use them at VeriSign or RSA SecurID®-enabled web sites such as auction houses, and banks and other financial institutions. The generic term for a device with this functionality is called a token.

The main benefit for enterprises over existing token based authentication solutions is that the institution does not need to bear the expense of stocking and supplying tokens to their user base but can simply advise their customers to buy a standard SanDisk memory device in whatever capacity they like at any one of over 150,000 stores. As incentive, the institution can offer a rebate to customers that use a memory device as their authentication method. The main benefit for consumers is that they can use their existing SanDisk device which they already carry as an authentication device.

VeriSign partnership. Under terms of the partnership, SanDisk plans to embed VeriSign® Identity Protection (VIP) Service capability and Open Authentication (OATH) compliant One-Time-Password (OTP) algorithms into SanDisk TrustedFlash™ devices. The solution will enable consumer-friendly, two-factor authentication for end users who purchase SanDisk mass-storage devices at retail outlets and then use them at VIP-enabled web sites.

RSA Security partnership. SanDisk plans to embed the industry-leading RSA SecurID one-time-password (OTP) algorithm into SanDisk TrustedFlash™ devices, enabling consumer-friendly, two-factor authentication for end users who purchase SanDisk mass-storage devices at retail outlets. “We at VeriSign are excited that consumers will soon be able to purchase SanDisk’s flash storage drives and cards at their nearest retailer to use across the VeriSign Identity Protection shared authentication network” said Nico Popp, vice president, Authentication Services, VeriSign Security Services. “The combination of VIP, OATH open standards and SanDisk storage devices creates a unique identity protection solution for consumers who want to secure their online interactions with financial institutions and e-commerce sites without compromising the convenience of today’s Web lifestyle.”

“RSA is the leading provider of highly secure, OTP technology and authentication options that are easy for businesses to deploy and consumers to use,” said Toffer Winslow, vice president of product marketing and management at RSA Security. “Teaming with SanDisk to integrate RSA SecurID technology into TrustedFlash devices gives security-conscious organizations and their customers a wider range of authentication options that are flexible, effective and easy to use. We look forward to a continued relationship with SanDisk.”

SanDisk is also partnering with Safend, which provides comprehensive end-point security solutions for the enterprise. This offers a way for companies to securely deploy removable USB storage and help to ensures that corporate information doesn’t ‘walk out the door’ in someone’s purse or pocket.

Safend partnership. In many enterprises, it is possible today to walk up to any personal computer or laptop, insert a flash drive, copy sensitive files off of the target hard drive and disconnect, even if the computer was locked by the user. The partnership with Safend will allow corporate users of secure SanDisk USB devices to backup, store, and transfer information within the company while protecting from unauthorized data from being transferred to outside systems.

“The growing popularity of USB flash drives can be a security headache for many enterprises,” said Dor Skuler, vice president of business development at Safend. “Our partnership with SanDisk will make it easy for businesses to maintain a high level of security by distinguishing between the legitimate use of these devices and preventing any unauthorized access.”

“We carefully selected the leading players in the security industry as partners to develop ‘out of the box’ consumer online identity protection on SanDisk mobile TrustedFlash cards and USB flash drives,” said Sanjay Mehrotra, Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President. “The plan is to offer robust security capabilities to both consumers and enterprises that have been previously unavailable. This demonstrates the ability for SanDisk products to support a variety of new functionality in addition to mass storage.”

TrustedFlash Technology Benefits Consumers & Enterprises

Under these partnerships, consumers will gain new security functionality in a storage device that has already gained wide acceptance as consumers use them to store personal information, digital images, data and music. Enterprises will gain the use of enhanced security solutions without the costs associated with the procurement and distribution of proprietary two-factor authentication tokens.

This robust new technology will be easy to use. For example, financial institutions, online merchants and other enterprises become members of the VeriSign VIP service or sign-up to support the RSA SecurID solution, and notify their customers. Consumers purchase a SanDisk device with VeriSign’s embedded strong authentication capabilities, plug it in, and begin an automated process to link it to one or more accounts. Once an account is linked in this manner, access to it is blocked unless the device is detected and validated during the logon process – thus providing an additional identification factor.

About SanDisk

SanDisk is the original inventor of flash storage cards and is the world’s leading supplier of flash data storage card products using its patented, high-density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA and has operations worldwide, with more than half its sales outside the U.S. Additional news and information about the company is available at http://www.sandisk.com