JAPANESE SCIENTISTS CRACK WPA ENCRYPTION SYSTEM

Japanese computer scientists have discovered a way to crack the Wi-Fi Protected Access WPA) encryption system. This new attack makes it possible for hackers to break into wireless router systems and read encrypted traffic sent between computers and WPA encryption systems.

The new attack works only on WPA systems using the old Temporal Key Integrity Protocol algorithm. It cannot break the newer devices using WPA 2 Standard or the stronger Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm. Hackers are yet to discover a means of breaking these algorithms.

The encryption systems used by Wireless routers have never really been foolproof. Actually the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) was cracked within a few years of its introduction in 1997. Newer standards are, nevertheless, more secure and since March 2006, Wi-Fi certified products are required to use the WPA 2 standard. But there are still a decent amount of devices using the older standard and this new development makes them particularly vulnerable.

FUJITSU 320 GB HARD DRIVE WITH IN-BUILT ENCRYPTION SAFETY

Fujitsu Limited today revealed the launch of the MHZ2 CJ versions of 320 GB 2.5" hard disk drives with mechanical hardware-based encryption to efficiently lock data against theft or loss. In accumulation to this AES 256-bit encryption characteristic, the Fujitsu MHZ2 CJ variants of HDDs attribute gyratory speed of 7200-rpm and a 3.0 GB/s Serial ATA interface.

Fujitsu asserts that it's the 1st hard disk drive in the planet to sustain the 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). The drive employs the AES hardware encryption unswervingly into the processor activating chip of the hard disk drive unit, ensuing in more vigorous security and quicker system recital than the software-related encryption.

All data stored on the hard disk drive can be expunged instantaneously, in less than a seconds time, utilizing the developed secure expunge feature. For public establishments and companies that finger large quantities of personal and other classified data, this significantly lowers the time and cost implicated in wiping clean the memory in the drives of PCs that are inclined of or reused.

The inbuilt Advanced Encryption Standard routinely encrypts all data when saving it on the hard disk drive and decrypts the data every-time when read. Unlike software-related encryption, the explanation does not dwell in the unit’s memory. This compiles it with more resistant to assault and imposes no handing out overhead on the memory chip, optimizing arrangements performance.