Thales Hardware Integrates Security Modules With Microsoft SQL Server 2008

PRESS RELEASE

SAN FRANCISCO, & CAMBRIDGE, England --(Business Wire)-- Apr 21, 2009 Thales, leader in information systems and communications security, announces its nCipher product line hardware security modules (HSMs) now provide comprehensive key management and hardware-based cryptography for Microsoft SQL Server 2008. Microsoft customers selecting Thales HSMs now benefit from additional security features including encryption key management and storage of master encryption keys in FIPS-validated hardware " a long-standing industry best practice " enabling organizations to meet compliance mandates such as PCI DSS and data breach notification acts.

"Companies and government agencies are under significant pressure to provide the highest level of security to protect information," said Mark Jewett, director of SQL Server marketing at Microsoft Corp. "Some Microsoft customers operate in highly regulated industries and would benefit from adopting Thales HSMs to meet their specific industry security requirements. The integration of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 with Thales HSMs offers customers a security-enhanced framework for their database security needs."

With the introduction of transparent data encryption (TDE) in SQL Server 2008, users now have the choice between cell-level encryption or full database-level encryption by using TDE. With the Database Security Option Pack, Thales HSMs provide accelerated cryptographic performance and protect and manage the keys used for TDE and cell-level encryption in FIPS-validated hardware " allowing organizations to take advantage of cost-effective key management across multiple servers. In addition the encryption keys are stored separate from the data itself as required by compliance mandates or corporate data security standards.

"The integration of Thales HSMs with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 satisfies many strategic objectives that organizations may have surrounding data security", says Franck Greverie, VP, MD for the information systems security activities of Thales. "The opportunity to apply Thales's market-leading key management technologies alongside Microsoft's database encryption solution enables customers to safeguard their sensitive data without any application changes. Customers can now increase the overall security of their deployment helping meet today's ever-evolving data threats and compliance mandates."

The Database Security Option Pack is available for both Thales nShield and Thales netHSM.

Thales will exhibit its industry-leading database security technologies during the RSA Conference (booth #2023), April 20-24, 2009 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

Notes to editor

Thales is one of the world leaders in the provision of Information and Communication Systems Security solutions for government, defence, critical infrastructure operators, enterprises and the finance industry. Thales's unique position in the market is due to its end-to-end security offering spanning the entire value chain in the security domain. The comprehensive offering includes architecture design, security and encryption product development, evaluation and certification preparation and through-life management services.

Thales has forty years of unrivalled track record in protecting information from Sensitive But Unclassified up to Top Secret and a comprehensive portfolio of security products and services, which includes network security products, application security products and secured telephony products.

About Thales

Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing Aerospace and Space, Defence and Security markets worldwide. The Group's civil and military businesses develop in parallel and share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. Thales's leading-edge technology is supported by 22,500 R&D engineers who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. The Group builds its growth on its unique multidomestic strategy based on trusted partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with 2008 revenues of £10.2 billion. www.thalesgroup.com