Thales announced its Key Management Device (KMD) for payment hardware security modules (HSMs) to provide high assurance security for the critical task of forming cryptographic keys securely from components.


This capability, critical to enabling secure key exchange between communicating parties, reduces the risk of component exposure that exists with traditional approaches by enabling direct key component entry into a tamper-resistant security module (TRSM).

This also provides operational benefits, as security officers involved in handling key components can now form keys for multiple hardware security modules (HSMs) across multiple sites using a single device.

The Thales KMD for payment HSMs provides key generation in a manner that is compliant with relevant security standards including X9 TG-3/TR-39 and PCI PIN security requirements in a secure and convenient portable form factor.

Compatible with the full range of Thales payment HSMs including the payShield 9000, the KMD maximizes operational flexibility by eliminating the need to physically access a production HSM inside a data center.

It simplifies security audits by eliminating complex compensating controls required when using traditional manual console-based key management methods. With its touch screen graphical user interface, the KMD is simple and intuitive to operate.

“As the security audit bar rises and the payment security industry moves away from legacy dumb terminals and PC terminal emulators for key component management, demand is growing for a more secure solution,” says Franck Greverie, Thales vice president in charge of information technology security activities. “Thales KMD for payment HSMs meets this need while also delivering significant operational benefits that can translate to cost savings for our customers.”