SafeNet's Sentinel Hardware Key stronger

Published 12 April 2006

SafeNet’s USB hardware keys declared strongest in market by independent testing lab

You win some, you lose some. Last week we reported that Belcamp, Maryland-based communication security big fish SafeNet (NASDAQ: SFNT) withdrew its offer to acquire Camridge, U.K.-based nCipher in the face of growing discomfort in the United Kingdon over a non-U.K. company owning a British company with sensitive technology. This, then, should be a consolation: Palatine, Illinois-based Trace Laboratories, an independent, full service testing and analysis lab, found SafeNet’s Sentinel Hardware Keys to be significantly stronger than competitive USB tokens.

Trace Laboratories conducted tests to quantify the strength of the Sentinel Hardware Key, released in September 2005, as well as several competitive keys. The tests determined the breaking strength of USB keys when installed in a fixture simulating typical computers. SafeNet keys were found to be significantly stronger than competitive USB tokens. The total amount of force required to break the Sentinel key ranged from 148 percent to 544 percent more than competitive key tested.

Sentinel Hardware Keys incorporate public key cryptography, AES encryption, and internal authentication.