Kent Ridge
Digital Labs (KRDL) in Singapore and Hewlett-Packard (HP) Laboratories in
Bristol, UK, have inked an agreement to collaborate on an e-commerce
security technologies research project.
Code-named SENTO (Secure ExtraNet using Trusted Operating Systems), the
joint research program involves integrating HP’s Virtual Vault operating
system with KRDL’s NetProtect virtual private network (VPN) to create
prototypes of high-security ExtraNet business applications.
“This is the first time HP Laboratories has entered into a research
partnership with a Singapore research institute. The National Science and
Technology Board (NSTB) and HP Singapore were instrumental in facilitating
this collaboration,” said Lee Ting, vice president and managing director of
HP’s geographic operations. “This project will enable the further
development of e-commerce security for business-to-business transactions.”
“The SENTO research concentrates on improving authentication and security,
and integrating the background technologies of both parties,” said Dr.
Juzar Motiwalla, CEO of KRDL.
“NetProtect was developed in response to a request from MHA [the Ministry
of Home Affairs] and TAS [the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore] for
a high speed network security product that could be used over Singapore-ONE.”
NetProtect has already been licensed to Internet Appliance
Inc, and CET
Technologies Pte Ltd., a fully owned subsidiary of Singapore
Technologies Electronics Ltd., which is in turn a part of the Singapore
Technologies Engineering Group.
Both HP Labs and KRDL will invest S$1 million in this one-year joint
research project.
“Intellectual property is shared between KRDL and HP,” said Cheah Kean
Huat, managing director of HP Singapore and SEA region. He also said the
project will be housed and managed at KRDL by 15 researchers from both KRDL
and HP.
The Singapore team will be working closely with approximately 50 security
experts in Bristol, said Catherine Lowney, business development manager of
HP Laboratories.
“The SENTO research program cannot be more timely as businesses
increasingly explore the use of the Internet as an alternative market
space. According to Forrester Research last year, e-commerce will reach
about US$350 billion by 2002,” said Lee.