KoolSpan Releases TrustChip fo iPhone, Provides Easy-to-Use Voice Encryption

Koolspan announced on Monday that it had released TrustChip for iPhone, the first hardware-based solution for voice encryption on the iPhone.

TrustChips do not require any special installation. A TrustChip resides inside an attachment called a TrustSleeve, which is then attached to the phone. Since the TrustSleeve has its own battery pack, the battery life of the phone increases to 12 hours for voice and 13.5 hours for Internet.

The iPhone version of the attachment works with the 4 and 4S models. KoolSpan expects to have an iPhone 5 version of the attachment in the second quarter of 2013.

Users run a special app to make a secure phone call. In order for the call to be encrypted, both phones involved in the call must have the TrustChip installed, or no encryption occurs.

Calls can be made between TrustChip-enabled phones using iOS, Android or Blackberry operating systems. The TrustChip/TrustSleeve apparatus can be removed and attached to another phone, or configured so that it can only be used on a specific device.

Since TrustChips operate within their own hardware environment, they’re insulated from attacks on the phone or through network connections.

Bethesda, MD-based KoolSpan develops several solutions for secure communications:

• TrustText provides encryption for texting on BlackBerry and Android phones.
• The TrustChip Developer Kit (TDK) provides an API to developers to build applications leveraging TrustChip security.
• TrustBridge allows encryption for voice calls made between an office based PBX phone and a smartphone.

As malware and phishing attacks on smartphones become a growing problem, many businesses dealing with sensitive information cannot afford to leave security to chance. Information may not be a tangible asset that you can bottle up and sell in a store, but for many companies, it’s a highly valuable asset. 

Solutions like the TrustChip and TrustSleeve are a great option for many companies that need to protect communications without requiring a huge learning curve or massive installation of software or hardware.