Host bus adapter boasts quantum-resistant network encryption



A new host bus adapter (HBA) secures all data moving between servers and storage by facilitating quantum-resistant network encryption and real-time ransomware detection in data centers. Broadcom’s Emulex Secure Fibre Channel HBA encrypts all data across all applications while complying with the NIST 800-193 framework, which encompasses secure boot, digitally signed drivers, T10-DIF, and more.

Figure 1 Emulex Secure Fibre Channel HBA provides in-flight encryption with quantum-resistant algorithms. Source: Broadcom

Encryption of mission-critical data is no longer a nice-to-have feature; it’s now a must-have amid the continued rise of ransomware attacks in 2024, costing $5.37 million on average per attack, according to Ponemon Institute’s “Cost of a Data Breach” report. The advent of generative AI and quantum computers further magnifies this risk if data is not encrypted at all points in the data center, including the network.

It’s important to note that data centers have the option of deploying application encryption or network encryption to protect their data. However, network encryption enables real-time ransomware detection while application-based encryption hides ransomware attacks.

Network encryption also offers several important advantages compared to application-based encryption. One is that it preserves storage array services such as dedupe and compression, which are destroyed when using application-based encryption.

Not surprisingly, therefore, IT users are seeking ways to protect themselves against crippling and expensive ransomware attacks; they also want to comply with new government regulations mandating all data be encrypted. That includes the United States’ Commercial National Security Algorithm (CNSA) 2.0, the European Union’s Network and Information Security (NIS) 2, and the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA).

These mandates call for enterprises to modernize their IT infrastructures with post-quantum cryptographic algorithms and zero-trust architecture. Broadcom’s Emulex Secure HBA, which secures data between host servers and storage arrays, provides a solution that, once installed, encrypts all data across all applications.

Figure 2 HBA’s session-based encryption is explained with three fundamental tasks. Source: Broadcom

Emulex Secure HBA facilitates in-flight storage area network (SAN) data encryption while complementing existing security technologies. Next, it supports zero-trust platform with Security Protocol and Data Model (SPDM) cryptographic authentication of endpoints as well as silicon root-of-trust authentication.

It runs on existing Fibre Channel infrastructure, and Emulex 32G and 64G Secure HBAs are available in 1, 2, and 4 port configurations. These network encryption solutions offloaded to data center hardware are shipping now.

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