Belkin releases secure switch for government agencies
Belkin released its Advanced Secure KM Switch and its Advanced 8 & 16-port Secure DVI-I KVM Switches. Both product sets are designed for government agencies and financial markets that need to safely isolate networks and connected systems.
Belkin’s Advanced Secure KM Switch
The Secure KM Switch offers secure switching between isolated networks with simple cursor movement. The user seamlessly transfers the keyboard and mouse controls from one computer to another by moving the cursor to a different monitor, instead of pressing a button on the switch. All computers remain active and viewable on their respective screens while the user is inputting on the selected computer.
The KM Switch offers the user the same advantages of a trader switch, with the data protection of our Advanced Secure product line built into the design. The switch provides true data path isolation using unidirectional optical diodes, dedicated processors to prevent unintended data leakage between computers, non-reprogrammable custom firmware to prevent tampering with the KM Switch logic, and an end-to-end tamper-proof system.
Belkin’s Secure KM Switch features single, unbuffered, dedicated processors for each peripheral port, which allows users such as analysts to work simultaneously on multiple networks at different security levels.
The switch is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms with USB support and will soon be validated to Common Criteria EAL4+.
Belkin’s Advanced Secure DVI-I KVM Switch
The Advanced Secure 8 & 16-port DVI-I KVM Switches provide true data path isolation for workstations in a highly secure environment. The switches can be used to securely connect peripheral devices, including audio equipment and large high-resolution displays, and to switch quickly among multiple PCs and networks with a single keyboard, monitor, mouse, and smart-card reader.
Like the Secure KM, it uses unidirectional data paths with optical diodes to prevent peripherals from being used to leak information from one computer system to another.
Additional security features of Belkin’s Advanced Secure DVI-I KVM Switch include:
Display security – Protected DDC/EDID emulation prevents software weaknesses that can cause data leakage while maintaining compatibility with the console display.
End-to-end tamper-proof system – A uni-body chassis design reduces entry points, and serialized holographic labels provide visual indication and prevention of external tampering.
Enhanced usability features – Customizable color-coded ports—with labels that can be used to associate the port with the network—reduce user error. The port button also illuminates to indicate which computer the console is controlling.
“One of the least understood and most under-utilized preventative measures for thwarting attacks is the use of switching devices that allow government and civilian employees to switch between networks with various security levels from one desktop location. Firewall protection alone is not enough to deter sophisticated cyber threats,” said Luis Artiz, director of product management, Business Division, Belkin International. “Our KM and KVM switches are designed to address cyber attacks that can unknowingly arise from within an agency as rigorously as those originating from outside sources.”