Zertificon Solutions makes it possible - e-mail encryption and signature in outsourcing

Berlin – On the basis of the Z1 SecureMail Gateway – the "virtual admin room" developed by the Berlin-based software specialist Zertificon Solutions – Cellent AG will be offering unforgeable and confidential e-mail communication as part of its outsourcing services (Managed Security Services).
On behalf of its customers, the service provider operates and manages a powerful and fail-proof Z1 SecureMail Gateway at its electronic data processing centre located in Stuttgart. The e-mail messages reach the Cellent EDPC via a secure data link. There, they are signed in accordance with the respective customer’s security policy, encrypted or decoded or, as the case may be, the existing signatures are verified. This way, sensitive and valuable data are protected from forgery and unauthorised reading throughout the electronic transfer.
This kind of e-mail protection is particularly beneficial to medium-sized enterprises, as it eliminates the need for hardware investments – they merely pay for the use of the software, while Cellent’s IT experts ensure the smooth technical operation.
E-mails are subjected to a variety of threats; on the Internet, they can be read at any node and while being transmitted. The contents as well as the address of the sender can be forged effortlessly. Furthermore, computer viruses are spread via e-mails from seemingly trustworthy originators. This also applies to "phishing" (= Password Fishing), where the author of the messages assumes a fake identity.
As countermeasures, Z1 SecureMail Gateway offers automatic encryption and signature for S/MIME and PGP at a central stage. This allows for the security policy to be implemented throughout the process and unburdens the individual employees of having to effect the security measures.
Besides the Managed Security Service (MSS), Cellent AG also supervises this kind of e-mail security in the case of the traditional set-up, i.e. if the Z1 SecureMail Gateway is positioned between the mailserver and the Internet on site and the management of the external certificates is effected via Z1 Backbone of Trust with the customer.