New encryption technology aims to beat terrorists and organised crime

Ectocryp has been designed to foil hackers

A new cryptographic technology launched today promises to speed up communication across the internet while maintaining the highest levels of security.

Supplier EADS Defence & Security has designed the new system for combating high-profile threats such as terrorism, organised crime and fraud.

EADS chief executive Len Tyler described the new Ectocryp technology as " Enigma for the 21st century," a reference to the coding machines used in the Second World War.

"Ectocryp means that for the first time ever, government departments can transmit top secret information over the public internet securely," he said.

"It would take a team of cryptographers at least 36 months to transcribe the Bible using an Enigma machine, compared to EADS' Ectocryp product which could perform the same task in less than one second and protect the network it used at the same time."

The new technology, which took five years to develop and contains more than one million lines of code, could help speed up secure communications and reduce costs, according to the supplier.

Normally, sensitive data has to be sent over slow, costly, standalone networks which are vulnerable to hacking. But EADS said that Ectocryp allows the government and its agencies to use existing internet connections, potentially saving up to 25 per cent in infrastructure costs.

EADS cited two example applications for the technology. Ectocryp could be used in systems for undercover surveillance operations where field agents have not had access to secure networks in the past, but need to access data quickly.

Another example might be if suspected terrorists were apprehended in a different part of the country from where anti-terrorist resources were based. The technology could allow secure live video streaming over the internet – previously only available via expensive dedicated lines.