Security & Smart Card ICs --Trusted Platform Module

Atmel's family of secure embedded processors solve this problem

There are many solutions available today, primarily in the form of software that can be loaded on a computer to encrypt the files, messages or other data. But all such solutions have a weakness - storage of the password, or key. Secure algorithms typically require large keys, from 64 bits to 2048 bits in length - but these are too long and complicated to remember so they must be stored on the disk. Access to these keys is typically gated by some sort of password, which the user must remember. A sophisticated attacker can usually crack such security easily, leaving the user exposed to malicious activity.

Secure storage and transmission of data is critical to businesses and consumers all over the world. Countless stories have emerged in the media regarding the financial losses suffered when corporate or government data are stolen. Hackers are using ever more sophisticated methods to attack computers and networks. And it is widely believed that growth of internet commerce is being held back by the lack of confidence in the security of the overall system.