SAN MATEO, - Your latest mobile device may be smaller, thinner and lighter, but it is jam packed with content. Buoyed by the acceptance of crossover devices like the SonyEricsson Walkman phone and Apple iPhone, mobile device manufacturers around the world are preparing for a makeover in the way the most popular forms of digital content, from TV to Web pages, are distributed and consumed. At the center of it all, is a company named Discretix. "Broadcast and on-demand TV, movies, gaming, eCommerce and all kinds of new mobile services-that's what's in store for mobile devices in the next few years. But without security, none of these services will be possible," said Gal Salomon, CEO and founder of Discretix. "The world has come to realize that the kind of hardware-based, embedded security we offer is the only practical and reliable solution.
" From its founding in 2000, Discretix placed its bets on two principles that have since proven to be the bedrock for mobile security technology: one, the use of a cryptographic co-processor to provide core security infrastructure; and two an integrated offering including protocols, API's, and client applications providing the complete security framework necessary to deploy mobile applications. By incorporating security at the chipset level rather than through the use of software, Discretix also reduces the risk of attack or penetration. It delivers stronger, higher-performance protection with minimal drain on battery power.
Global Reach
Discretix' pioneering mobile security solutions currently furnishes content protection on millions of handsets, flash memory cards and drives, including smartphone models from manufacturers in Europe, Japan, the United States and Korea. Its technologies are employed in products from Motorola, Marvell, Renesas, SanDisk, SonyEricsson, Ericsson, NXP, Spansion and CoreLogic, with other numerous agreements in place.
Today Discretix is at the top of every listing of mobile security firms. Gartner has ranked Discretix among the leaders of the embedded security market in 2006 with a 32% market share.
Discretix is the largest single company in the world dedicated to embedded security, and has been named to the Inc. 500 listing of the fastest-growing companies in the United States. It also was a finalist for the 2007 Red Herring Global 100 Awards, honoring the most promising private technology companies in the world.
Essential Element
Security is becoming increasingly critical for the new breed of multi-use mobile devices. With the release of SDKs (Software Development Kits) for Symbian-, Linux- and Windows Mobile-powered smartphones as well as the Apple iPhone, third-party companies can now develop add-on applications. With Discretix' CryptoCell embedded security present at the chip level, software developers have a "safe sandbox" to play in, free from potential damage to the phone's fundamental systems.
As mobile units are increasingly used as portable computers, with users carrying flash memory to transport personal files and other information, securing all of that storage capacity has become a priority. Discretix CryptoFlash embedded security ensures that flash memory devices for both storage and user authentication are safe from hackers and thieves.
Mobile content, however, is the "killer app" that is providing the most exciting buzz for Discretix. Live Mobile TV, games, and downloads have all become commonplace; in addition, high-speed WiMAX and Wi-Fi networks will allow users to access content at broadband speeds no matter where they are. Discretix' Multi-Scheme DRM and Mobile TV Security Client solutions are essential for all these forms of high-end entertainment, both to discourage pirating and to enable a broad range of business models.
With an IPO anticipated for Discretix in 2009, Salomon is enthusiastic about the company's future. "Sophisticated, real-time multimedia content is the future of mobile devices, and content protection is here to stay," he said. "In the eight years since Discretix came on the scene, a consensus has been built that embedded, hardware-based security represents 'best practices' for protecting content. Security not just an option anymore-it's a requirement, and Discretix is at the center of the need."
About Discretix
Discretix' security solutions are deployed in mobile and flash memory devices, enabling the commercial distribution of premium services and applications while protecting the device and its contents.
Discretix' products include embedded security co-processors and a broad range of software security applications. The solutions are tightly integrated into the device, enhancing security without compromising the user experience.
Discretix, a privately-owned company, serves the needs of some of the worlds best-known semiconductor and device manufacturers and has been consistently ranked among the leaders of the embedded security market. For more information, please visit www.discretix.com.
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[Source: Just Another Mobile Phone Blog]
