NSK-a Norwegian cryptochip for supersafe communications

Norway has developed its own standard cryptosystem and a cryptochip that totally protects communications over telephone lines. Developers say Norwegian cryptochips based on the Norsk Standard Krypto (NSK) system keep phone lines from being wiretapped, even by the government or police. With their own supersafe chip, developed after years of theoretical cryptography work, Norwegian officials will no longer depend on foreign cryptosystem standards or cryptochips. The NSK-based chip was initially designed to protect the communications of the government, the military, and the biggest Norwegian companies, which frequently are owned or controlled by the government. However, military officials may make the chip and the products that use it, such as telephones and facsimile machines, available to other Norwegian companies that need communications security. The paper considers uses for the NSK chip. For example, the NX1000 encrypts Internet traffic between safe LANs.