New security software made in Singapore to enter commercialisation

AKSAAS Pte Ltd, EADS Innovation Works Singapore, the local research unit of EADS, Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd and the Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R) today announced that the four parties will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly commercialise Secure Enterprise Document Management System (SEDM), a technology developed by I²R. SEDM allows a user to give or deny access to documents to others, to control features such as copying or printing and to track down those who try to get unauthorised access.

SEDM is robust, reliable and easy to administer. Apart from document access, copy and print control, SEDM offers protection of confidential information against laptop loss and theft. In the case that someone gains knowledge of another’s password and attempts to access to a document using his own machine, the system will raise an alarm and access is then denied. It is able to log the aborted access which can then be traced back to the person trying to illegally view the document. Plug-ins are secured using software and hardware codes to make them usable on specific machines only.

EADS CTO Dr Jean Botti said: “SEDM combines high security with intuitive use. In today’s dynamic enterprise environment, there is great need to be able to control access to high value information-assets at our fingertips. We also cannot afford to be bogged down by difficult-to-use and hard-to-navigate systems that leave us both frustrated and vulnerable.”

In December 2008, EADS Innovation Works Singapore signed a contract agreement with Aksaas, to co-develop SEDM Version 1. EADS will now deploy this version of SEDM at EADS Innovation Works and other offices in Europe, with an initial purchase of 500 seat licences.

This MOU extends the December 2008 partnership for another two years, during which Exploit Technologies and I2R will continue their efforts to co-develop the next version of SEDM with Aksaas, for the eventual commercial rollout in Europe and Asia. This is to bring the benefits of SEDM to a wider global audience. EADS will be responsible for marketing SEDM in Europe and Aksaas will have the exclusive marketing rights in Asia Pacific.

EADS’ adoption of SEDM is an endorsement SEDM’s technology innovativeness to meet critical enterprise document security needs. Said

Exploit Technologies had incubated Aksaas for close to 20 months when the company first started business in 2006. On Aksaas’ tie-up with EADS, Mr Boon Swan Foo, Executive Chairman, Exploit Technologies, said, “This is an excellent demonstration of the comprehensive efforts we make to bring a start-up and its technology to their maximum potential. We help grow it so that a forward-looking MNC like EADS find good value in its product adoption, investment and commercialisation.”

SEDM’s powerful engine was developed by computer scientists at I2R. Said Prof Lye Kin Mun, Deputy Executive Director (Research), “The SEDM engine is just one of the many core innovations to come out of our R&D labs. It is part of our research efforts to provide greater Infocomm security to the enterprises and corporations that form part of our economic landscape. Knowledge is power and if this knowledge is not well managed and protected, a company’s competitive edge can be lost – overnight..”

Said Mr Lim Chinn Hwa, Executive Director, Aksaas: “These enhanced security features help ensure that sensitive documents are for certain eyes only. Not only that, if someone tries to breach security, there’s traceability and accountability. SEDM closes a vital security loop. It identifies suspicious gestures and ensures that important corporate assets are duly protected in those attempts. Even a screen capture of a sensitive document is not possible.”

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2008, EADS generated revenues of €43.3 billion and employed a workforce of about 118,000. The Group includes Airbus as the leading manufacturer of commercial and also tanker, transport and mission aircraft, Eurocopter as the world's largest helicopter supplier and EADS Astrium, the European leader in space programmes from Ariane to Galileo. The Defence & Security Division is a provider of comprehensive systems solutions and makes EADS the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium as well as a stakeholder in the missile systems provider MBDA.

Aksaas Pte Ltd, a pioneering Singapore-based Company to provide to provide software as a service (SaaS) provider and agency for Science, Technology and Research. Aksaas’s mission is to provide software as a service (SaaS) with leading-edge office automation and knowledge engineering technologies to enhance enterprise agility to meet changing business demands, and for decision-maker to affect operations in real-time. Aksaas is incubated by Exploit Technologies, (A* STAR), and leverages A*STAR’s technologies to develop its advanced software solutions. Aksaas aims to transform the SaaS business platform into a powerful business environment to power any Aksaas’ business operational activities efficiently and with high level executive business intelligence dashboard view for the business owner to make better decisions.

The Institute for Infocomm Research is a member of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) family. Established in 2002, its mission is to be the globally preferred source of innovations in `Interactive Secured Information, Content and Services Anytime Anywhere’ through research by passionate people dedicated to Singapore’s economic success. I²R performs R&D in information, communications and media (ICM) technologies to develop holistic solutions across the ICM value chain. Its research capabilities are in information technology, wireless and optical communication networks, interactive and digital media; signal processing and computing. I²R seeks to be the infocomm and media value creator that keeps Singapore ahead.

Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd is the strategic marketing and commercialisation arm of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Its mission is to support A*STAR in transforming the economy through commercialising R&D. Exploit Technologies enhances the research output of A*STAR scientists by translating their inventions into marketable products or processes. Through licensing deals and spin-offs with industry partners, Exploit Technologies is a key driver of technology transfer in Singapore. It actively engages industry leaders and players to commercialise A*STAR's technologies and capabilities, bridging the gap from Mind to Market. Exploit Technologies’ charter is to identify, protect and exploit promising intellectual property (IP) created by A*STAR’s research institutes.

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