InformationWeek
Defining The Business Value Of Technology
August 9, 1999
Secure Synchronization
Puma boosts security for mobile users
By Tanvi Chheda
Certicom's SSL Plus for Embedded Systems enhances Intellisync Anywhere's authentication security features for remote users synchronizing data between their handheld devices and Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes, or other enterprise applications residing on company servers. The SSL Plus toolkit is based on the Secure Sockets Layer protocol, one of the leading security protocols on the Internet.
"IT professionals are insecure about sensitive E-mails being hacked or deciphered," says Steve Nicol, Puma's VP of marketing. Intellisync Anywhere lets individuals use either a wired or wireless connection from their Palm Computing handheld devices. Without encryption technology, however, many companies have been particularly concerned about maintaining security over wireless networks. "It was a natural fit for us to have this relationship," says David Krane, director of corporate marketing at Certicom.
Phil Schacter, an analyst at Burton Group, agrees that it's a good match. "In the past, the communications channel hasn't been truly secure," Schacter says. "This seems the logical next step for the industry. Users need a good security discipline in place to protect confidentiality and the integrity of information being passed along."
Puma says it will integrate the technology in a new version of Intellisync Anywhere by year's end. The company has not yet decided on a price for the upgrade.
Intellisync Anywhere software also supports synchronization over local area networks.
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And from our sister publications:
uma Technology Inc., a provider of mobile-device management and synchronization software, said last week that it will include encryption technology from Certicom Corp. in its Intellisync Anywhere software.
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