From: cme@ellisun.sw.stratus.com (Carl Ellison)
Newsgroups: sci.crypt
Subject: RESULTS: challenge login devices
Date: 6 Oct 92 16:26:17 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Software Engineering

A while back, I wrote:

>I have heard descriptions of small devices (eg., pocket calculator size)
>which apply a secret DES key to a challenge (random) number to produce a
>response for use in login (instead of a password).  Does anyone out there
>know manufacturers for such devices so that I can get technical and
>price information?

Thanks to everyone who responded.

I have learned that the manufacturers all call these devices "tokens" or
"password tokens".

The following manufacturers have been brought to my attention:

	Company				Product Name(s)
	-------				---------------

	Racal-Guardata			WatchWord
	480 Spring Park Place
	Herndon, VA 22070
	(703) 471-0892

	Enigma Logic, Inc.		SafeWord (4 versions):
	2151 Salvio #301		Gold Card, Silver Card,
	Concord, CA 94520		AccessCard, MultiSync
	(510) 827-5707

	Digital Pathways, Inc.		SecureNet
	201 Ravendale Drive
	Mountain View, CA 94043
	(415) 964-0707

	Hughes LAN Systems		??? (they didn't seem to
	Hughes Aircraft Company		know what I was talking
	1225 Charleston Road		about when I called them)
	Mountain View, CA 94043
	(415) 966-7400

	Security Dynamics,		SecureID
	2067 Massachusetts Avenue,
	Cambridge, MA 02140
	(617) 547-7820

From what I've been able to learn so far:

=====

Racal-Guardata makes a full line of H/W -- modems, key management boxes,
... -- and supports not just the WatchWord but also smartcards.  For
example, they have a product which is a modem into which you plug your
smartcard, enter a PIN (using keys and an LCD on the modem itself) and from
then on, you are not only authenticated but your line is continuously
encrypted.

WatchWord is used by the NCSC's dockmaster system and at least one user out
there thinks it's the best of the lot.  I was impressed with their
provision for multiple (2) keys and PINs -- the use of the PIN directly to
the token (never transmitted).  The WatchWord costs about $90 (quantity 1)
-- but is a 4 function calculator as well, with memory (yup -- probably a
$5 value :-).

WatchWord operates by being challenged with a 7 digit (decimal) number (in
phone number format).  You enter your PIN and that number, then the
calculator gives you a 7-digit response which you type in response to the
login.  It's about 4.125" x 2.25" x 0.375".

====

Enigma Logic makes S/W to do the login authentication using almost all the
other tokens, not just their own.  The impression I got was that they
really wanted to sell S/W -- and sold H/W just because it was necessary.

SafeWord DES Gold: synchronous -- you enter your PIN and a host number, it
gives you the next password in your sequence.  There's no challenge -- you
have to keep in sync.  [as one person pointed out, you have to make sure
there's no kid in the house to fiddle with it and start generating
passwords you don't use.]  There are up to 8 different hosts provided for.

SafeWord DES Silver: synchronous -- press "on" and get the next password.
(no PIN, no multiple hosts)

SafeWord AccessCard: public key (allegedly), 7-digit challenge and
response.  Details on the algorithm aren't given in the data sheet I
received from them, so I don't know anything about their algorithm or how
they do key negotiation -- and I especially don't know how secure it is.
The brief sketch of how to initialize it doesn't say anything about having
to type hundreds of digits to and from the host to do key management -- so
it doesn't sound like DH exponential key exchange.

SafeWord MultiSync: up to four hosts, any of 4 modes: async (chal/resp);
1-button synchronous; PIN-async (PIN and challenge); PIN-sync (PIN => next
password).

All of these cards are bulky credit card size (3.4" x 2.2" x 0.2")

=====

SecureNet: two modes: async (chal/resp); sync (enter PIN and digit
selecting 1 of 6 hosts -- get next password in sequence).  Size: 52 x 89 x
9.8 mm (info from Enigma Logic data sheet).

Price about $60, (quantity 2).

=====

SecureID: time-synchronous: displays a new password continuously, changed
every minute or so.  The host keeps not only your key (for generating the
same sequence) but a synchronized clock.  My detailed info from them is
about to arrive.  This info is from sci.crypt readers.

SecureID does not use DES but rather a proprietary PRNG algorithm which was
reviewed and blessed by Ron Rivest.  This card is used by Cray users
worldwide (or so it seems from the responses I got).  It is credit-card
sized and if I remember correctly, in the $60 range (but that's not a real
price quote -- just (possibly flaky) memory).

=====

stachour@sctc.com sent mail describing some S/W solution their company
sells, but that's not what I was asking for so I didn't follow up.

=====


--Carl
Xref: sparky sci.crypt:3541 alt.security:4501 alt.security.pgp:57