Microsoft and Sun show commitment to online security

Firms will support advanced security standards

Microsoft and Sun Microsystems both took advantage of the RSA conference in San Jose this week to show their commitment in providing a safer online environment for businesses and consumers.

At the event's opening keynote, Bill Gates announced that the InfoCard authentication technology will be supported by the forthcoming release of Internet Explorer as part of WinFX, Microsoft's managed code programming model.

InfoCard forms the user interface element of Microsoft's strategy to establish an identity metasystem – a standards-based architecture for managing identity information on the internet – and is intended to simplify the user experience by replacing user names and passwords, according to the firm.

Sun meanwhile announced that its Java System Web Server 7.0 will support Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) which will reduce the time it takes to complete secure transactions. Sun also launched the Crypto Accelerator 6000 – an ECC-enabled tool designed to handle simultaneous transactions for secure online networks.