TOKYO--Toshiba Corporation today announced a range of innovative software designed to bring new levels of security and mobility to the operation of Intranets, the private communications networks that are one of the fastest growing areas of the Internet. The company's Network CryptoGate software provides an advanced solution for organization's creating highly secure Virtual Private Networks (VPN) on the Internet, while providing sophisticated support that allows mobile users secure and seamless network access regardless of their location, as if they are "at home".

With corporations increasingly using Intranets as the communications system of choice for in-house networking, secure and flexible systems that support mobile users are a must. Toshiba's Network CryptoGate (NCG) is the first software to simultaneously support two fundamental Internet Protocols standards defined by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF): the Internet Protocol on Security (IP-layer Security [IP-SEC]) and the Mobile Internet Protocol (IP Mobility Support [Mobile-IP]). In doing so, it reaches a new level for Intranet performance and versatility.

Orders for NCG in Japan will be received from today. Shipment to the Japanese market will start from June 1st. Toshiba is also working to introduce the product to the U.S. market and other regions. NCG will be demonstrated at COMNET 97, at the Washington DC Convention Center from February 4 to 6.

NCG consists of three basic software packages: NCG Server is installed in the Intranet server and provides all security functions required for creating a VPN on the Internet, including data encryption/decryption and encapsulation/ decapsulation of each IP (Internet Protocol) packet, and supporting secure access from remote locations to the Intranet via the NCG server; NCG Client is installed in portable PCs, and communicates with the NCG server to support the Mobile-IP that gives users in remote locations secure access to the Intranet; NCG Manager provides overall system management.

Background

The rapid growth of the Internet and Intranets is promoting a new corporate communications paradigm--a shift to low cost Internet/Intranet communications rather than the more expensive dedicated private networks.

The biggest drawback to use of Internet/Intranet communications has been the lack of security when communicating confidential information, and the difficulty of achieving seamless access to Intranets for mobile users in remote locations. These needs are addressed in two recent IETF protocol standards: IP-SEC (RFC1825---1829) and Mobile-IP (RFC2002---2004).

With NCG, Toshiba has drawn on its expertise in computing, networking and software to realize the first software solution effectively combining both IETF protocols. The company presented its basic approach as a new Internet draft at the 37th IETF meeting, held last December at San Jose, California. Taking the lead in the area, Toshiba aims to contribute in setting a standard for combined functioning of the two protocols. Elements of NCG are being applied also to the WIDE project, the large scale, widely distributed experimental Internet network project being undertaken by one of Japan's leading Internet projects, and Toshiba will use this experience to engineer further advances in NCG.

Main features of NCG

1. Encapsulation and encryption of each individual data packet, preventing tampering or access during transmission over the Internet.

2. Virtual Private Networks (VPN) can be established by installing NCG in servers at locations between which confidential information is transmitted over the Internet/Intranet. Installing NCG in a client computer creates a VPN between it and the server, thus realizing secure, seamless access from both inside and outside an organization. NCG based intranet structure can be flexibly constructed corresponding to each different organization.

3. NCG automatically encapsulates and encrypts communication data, and there is no need for any modification to applications operated in the NCG environment. The possibility of security being breached through use of an insufficiently secure applications is reduced.

4. NCG's mobile function treats a NCG client moving out the Intranet to a remote location as if it is still in the same home network, regardless of where the NCG server is accessed from. Location is transparent, assuring users seamless access to an Intranet via the Internet. NCG also allows computers to be moved from place to place within the home network.

5. NCG Manager is a centralized management tool for the NCG servers and clients. It organizes such factors as system configuration, key management, status monitoring/control, etc. Used with optional OpenView, it provides a sophisticated GUI-based, easy-to-use NCG system management combined with other network management.

* Upgrade service of Windows NT 3.51 will be available.

Notes WIDE project: The Widely Integrated Distributed Environment Project was initiated as a research project in 1988, by Professor Jun Murai of Keio University. Its goal is to establish a new computer network platform, including operating systems and applications, to support large-scale, widely-distributed computer networks. WIDE is one of Japan's most important Internet-related research projects, and provides the Network Service Provider Internet Exchange to all Internet service providers in Japan.

• Windows 95 and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
• Solaris is a registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc, of the U.S.
• OpenView is a registered trademark of Hewlett-Packard, of the U.S.

NCG System Configuration

For more information, please send email to: ncg-info@comp.jsh.toshiba.co.jp