GERMANY NEW SECURITY CHIP ADDED TO PANASONIC NOTEBOOK COMPUTERS
New safety technology for Toughbooks from Panasonic

Frankfurt

Panasonic's Toughbook series will soon feature a new set of security chips. The Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is intended to prevent unauthorised access to sensitive data, reports the computer maker through its Frankfurt office.

The chip is comparable to a Smart Card and is soldered onto the motherboard. It is also connected to the system. It cannot be modified either physically or using software.

The chip makes processes like authorization of a computer onto a corporate network more secure than through a software solution, the company claims.

The chip also allows the user to conduct simplified encryption or decryption of data. Projected customers will initially test the technology in the Toughbooks CF-18 and CF-29. All new Toughbooks will include the chip set starting in March 2006. dpa jd pb emc


November 26, 2005