An AES in the Hole

Government vendors gain advantage with fully compliant solutions

  • By Daryl Miller
  • May 01, 2009

It's no secret that government facilities must have airtight security systems and protocols in place for protecting communications. In fact, that's one thing every official, company and government body can agree on. With a new administration in place and an increased focus on all levels of security, especially cyber security, it is vital that all government agencies have policies and technology in place to safeguard against unwanted attacks.

The challenge is finding vendors with the ability to provide tight data security that meets all security and encryption standards set forth by the government. This is especially true when short compliance deadlines and quick time-to-market conditions are required. However, if vendors can find a way to meet all requirements and provide fully compliant security solutions, they automatically have a competitive advantage.

Wanted: Lockdown Data Security

Honeywell International, a global public company based in New Jersey, understood the urgency and quickly set out to find a way to incorporate all new government security standards for encryption, including advanced encryption. The company provides solutions that support regulatory compliance, improve profitability and maintain safe environments in homes, buildings and industry. To keep a majority of the company's business and help customers meet critical deadlines, Honeywell needed a fast, efficient and cost-effective way of addressing the AES for government installation.

In June 2003, the government adopted the AES encryption standard, which was announced by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in 2001. It is based on FIPS-197. Today, AES is one of the most popular algorithms used in symmetric key cryptography. Honeywell understood the need to quickly obtain the level of secure connectivity needed for its customers. Knowing the parameters of the company's limited expertise in the subject matter and personal capabilities, they immediately turned to Lantronix for help.

Instant Implementation, Data Security

Lantronix has developed secure device servers and networking equipment for decades, working with customers to ensure their needs and standards are met. The company's SecureBox SDS product was the first device server certified by NIST to meet FIPS-197 standards for ensuring secure data communication at AES levels. Having worked with Lantronix in the past, Honeywell was confident that together, they could quickly find a solution that met Honeywell's needs, while limiting engineering changes for Lantronix.

"For more than three decades, Honeywell has been a leading provider of advanced security systems for government applications," said Greg Turner, director of global offer management at Honeywell International. "Therefore, it was critical that we find a cost-effective way to address the new AES-certification requirement for our customers. Based on our past experience with Lantronix, we had confidence the SecureBox device servers were the solution that could enable us to quickly meet that challenge."

Securebox device servers provided a complete end-to-end solution for ensuring that the information within these devices could be securely accessed and transmitted over a network or the Internet. The single- and dual-port external device servers incorporated Lantronix' proven hardware, firmware and software utilities, making it a perfect fit.

The SecureBox SDS1100 was incorporated directly into the Honeywell enterprise buildings integrator architecture. The solution enabled Honeywell's remote security and access control devices to provide network communications with advanced encryption, without replacing existing controllers. By incorporating Lantronix' SecureBox directly into the system architecture, Honeywell greatly enhanced the level of secure data communications between networked devices at facilities.

Reduced Time to Market

"Working with our customers to hit clearly-defined objectives is a core strength of Lantronix," said Jerry Chase, CEO of Lantronix. "We knew from the start that Honeywell needed a highly-secure solution quickly. Thanks to our newly-certified SecureBox product, we were able to deliver exactly what the customer needed in a tight timeframe."

Honeywell obtained the required level of secure connectivity within days. The ease of implementation allowed the company to quickly bring its Security Manager (a component of EBI) to market. Using the SecureBox SDS1100, Honeywell decreased its time-to-market and increased its competitive advantage. The company also retained its current customer base, while offering a leading-edge solution for other government agencies looking to comply with the AES standard.

"By incorporating the SecureBox SDS1100 directly into our new products, we were able to accelerate the launch of our AES-certified Honeywell Enterprise Buildings Integrator to meet critical government compliance deadlines for our clients," Turner said.

Working with government agencies requires flexibility and the ability to commit to rigid deadlines. Companies able to deliver under these restraints benefit greatly in today's volatile business environment.

Lantronix' solutions allowed Honeywell to honor a time-sensitive commitment and product specification for a very important customer—the government.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services

  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.