Automotive and machinery manufacturers are turning to
encryption technologies to protect intellectual property, it has
emerged atInfosecurity 2008, which is taking
place in London this week.
The trend is the result of an increase in the use of
embedded
software and integrated circuits in industrial machinery and
vehicles.
As GPS systems become more common as a standard part of most
vehicles, manufacturers are seeking to differentiate themselves in
the applications these systems can run.
Gary Clark, EMEA vice-president of encryption technology
supplier Safenet, said manufacturers were increasingly concerned
about securing the intellectual property contained in their
products.
"The real functionality now resides in the software and computer
systems that drive these machines and therefore that is where the
value lies," said Clark.
He said the manufacturing industry was fast increasing its
demand for intellectual property protection systems, particularly
in Europe, as firms seek to prevent competitors from pirating
intelligence embedded in their products.
Manufacturers are looking to security suppliers to help them
build in encryption and other protection for their intellectual
property from the very beginning.