Monday, 8 November 2004 22:28 EST

Atmel's Trusted Platform Modules and NTRU Core TCG Software Stack to Provide Unmatched Security

SAN JOSE, CA and BURLINGTON, MASS., November 8, 2004. . . Atmel® Corporation (NASDAQ: ATML), world leader in the security processor market, and NTRU Cryptosystems Inc., the trusted computing experts, today announced the availability of state-of-the-art trusted platform modules (TPM) married with state-of-the-art security software. Atmel has licensed the NTRU Core TCG Software Stack (CTSS) for use with their 1.1b and 1.2 trusted platform modules. This agreement will provide Atmel with significant flexibility to offer TCG solutions in the worldwide PC market using Windows® and Linux® operating systems as well as in the embedded platform space. Atmel TPMs combined with NTRU TSS will provide an unsurpassed level of security and interoperability to customers developing Trusted Computing compliant desktops, laptops and embedded devices. As specified by the Trusted Computing Group, the NTRU CTSS provides the essential core interface and security services framework for any application that relies on the TPM.

"NTRU continues to be a leader in the trusted computing space as consultants, security experts and product designers,” said Kerry Maletsky, Business Unit Director for Atmel Corporation. "Combine that with Atmel's single-chip security subsystem hardware and you have the ability to create TCG compliant products that are high-performing, cost-effective and most importantly ultra secure,” he added.

Atmel TPMs provide the industry's highest level of hardware security protecting the end user's privacy by providing secure storage and management of the user's identity, passwords and encryption keys. The NTRU CTSS is designed in accordance with the TCG TSS standard and is enhanced with strong, standards-compliant cryptographic libraries. The CTSS provides a set of software components that allow applications and peripherals to take advantage of a platform's TPM hardware module in a coordinated, consistent, and portable manner. The CTSS has been thoroughly tested on Windows and Linux operating systems and will ensure interoperability across platforms using different hardware and software.

"Our customers have asked us for a flexible, secure and interoperable software module. We are pleased that our TSS now provides that critical link in the trusted computing chain,” said Ed King, NTRU's CEO. "Atmel is a leader in the development of TPMs and they have recognized that the need for trusted computing continues to become more critical each day. Our TSS will help them quickly and efficiently deploy trusted computing applications across a wide variety of platforms.”

Features of the NTRU CTSS

The NTRU CTSS can be used for any applications that use a TSS and it will interoperate with cryptographic service providers (CSP) for easy use by higher-level applications.

· Fully compliant with TCG specifications and guidance for standard TSS design

· Strong, standards compliant cryptographic services built-in

· Interoperable with 1.1b and 1.2 compliant TPMs

· Modular design enables addition of custom functionality

· Supports application defined security policies

· Protects authorization data within the local process

· Thread-safe design

· Supports local and remote TPMs

· Design and implementation techniques in accordance with industry best practices for protecting against security vulnerabilities

· Designed for portability with current support for Windows XP/2000 and Linux 2.4 platforms

· Flexibility for future interoperability with Microsoft Next Generation Secure Computing Base (NGSCB)

· Ability to leverage TPM custom features

Features of the Atmel TPM Atmel's TPM ICs provide a complete, turnkey hardware security solution.

· High-performance, low-power, RISC processor

· 2048-bit RSA sign crypto-accelerator

· Hardware SHA-1 hash engine

· True random number generator

· 32 platform configuration registers (PCRs)

· Secure EEPROM

· SRAM

· Timer

· Real-time clock

· LPC interface to Intel® and AMD® processors

· Two-wire serial interface (TWI) for embedded applications

· Tamper-detection circuitry that detects any attempts to read the chip's contents

Other tamper detection features include metal shield layers above the active circuitry, encrypted internal busses, high-security test procedures, and defenses against timing and power supply attacks.

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's broadest intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is able to provide the electronics industry with complete system solutions. Focused on consumer, industrial, security, communications, computing and automotive markets, Atmel ICs can be found Everywhere You AreSM.

© Atmel Corporation 2004. All rights reserved. Atmel®, logo and combinations thereof, are registered trademarks, and Everywhere You AreSM is a trademark of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Windows® is the registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Other terms and product names may be trademarks of others.

About NTRU

NTRU Cryptosystems, Inc. provides comprehensive security expertise to the embedded technology market. From system security analysis to highly optimized implementations on the most constrained platforms, NTRU provides practical security solutions that are tailored for specific application environments. NTRU's core competencies extend from development and evaluation of standards based security architectures and protocols, cryptosystem design and implementation of security solutions based on the NTRU algorithm suite and other major algorithms. NTRU provides state of the art services and solutions to a range of markets, including trusted computing, wireless networking, authentication products and general embedded security applications. Headquartered in Burlington, Mass., NTRU's investors include Texas Instruments, Sony Corporation, Macrovision, Lehman Brothers Venture Capital, Investor AB, Granite Ventures, Greylock and 3i. For more information, please visit http:\\www.ntru.com.

About Trusted Computing Group

The Trusted Computing Group (TCG) is an open, industry standards organization formed to develop, define, and promote open standards for hardware-enabled trusted computing and security technologies, including hardware building blocks and software interfaces, across multiple platforms, peripherals, and devices. TCG specifications enable more secure computing environments without compromising functional integrity, privacy, or individual rights. The primary goal is to help users protect their information assets (data, passwords, keys, etc.) from compromise due to external software attack and physical theft. For more information, go to http:\\www.trustedcomputinggroup.org.

Information

Atmel's Trusted Platform product information may be retrieved at: http://atmel.com/products/Embedded/

Press Contact Atmel

Vicki McCann, Director of Marketing Communications
Phone: , Email:

Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe,
Phone: +33 1 30 60 70 68, Email: