DOD picks single-chip Rosetta as encryption card for DMS users
The Defense Department has selected the Rosetta Smart Card for use within all
branches of the armed forces as a personal identification, authentication and encryption
device for the Defense Message System.
The Rosetta card, from Spyrus Inc. of San Jose, Calif., is an alternative to the
company’s $100 Fortezza Type II PC Card.
The new Rosetta card is a single-chip smart card. Unlike the Fortezza card, the Rosetta
does not require a battery.
Although small in size, fitting into the palm of a hand, the Rosetta Smart Card will
perform the same encryption algorithms as Fortezza, using Spyrus’ Spex cryptographic
libraries and a card operating system known as SpyCos.
The Rosetta Smart Card sells for about $45.