The improvements help individuals manage their passwords and user IDs in a secure way, simplify installation of the system and provide interoperability with IBM Tivoli Access Manager
Based on industry standards, the IBM Embedded Security Subsystem uses encryption keys and processes to help secure data, communications and identity. It consists of
* A hardware component -- the cryptographic security chip, which supports key storage, privacy encryption and digital signatures for authentication of identity
* A downloadable software component -- Client Security Software, which interfaces to the user and to other software applications.
Because critical security functions take place within the protected environment of the chip -- not in main memory, and not relying on the hard disk to store cryptographic keys -- the system is more secure than software-only solutions.
Source: IBM, UK