To examine the future of security technologies, let’s start with a word that has become widely used recently: “ubiquitous”. As you may know, this refers to the nature of networks in the near future when perhaps all of the devices and equipment around us will be networked, so that we can access information anywhere.

Already ideas are being offered for various devices that would make use of ubiquitous networks. For example, when you are away from home you could use your mobile phone to set your VCR to record a TV program, to prepare your bath, to switch on the air conditioner. You could even check the contents of your refrigerator and then use the Internet to find the ideal recipe for those ingredients, even setting the appropriate time on your microwave oven. Some of these ideas are still on the drawing board, but it is clear that - far beyond what is possible with today’s electrical appliances and AV equipment. It will seem like a dream. Provided, that is, that we find a solution to one serious problem.

That problem is security. With household appliances hooked up, connected around the clock to outside networks, can you imagine what would happen without some form of security? We don’t have to look far for the answer: just look at the situation faced by today’s corporate networks that are under daily attack. One day you might come home to find smoke pouring out of the microwave, flames leaping up from the cooker, scalding water flooding the shower, and the VCR winding a videotape backwards and forwards endlessly. If your home network is targeted by a malicious hacker, your life will be transformed instantly from dream to nightmare.

There are ways to prevent this nightmare scenario from becoming reality. First, we should adopt IPv6, the next-generation network protocol. IPv6 allows for a vast address space and at the same time supports secure communications between terminals. Secondly, we should equip each device with the hardware and software needed for communications encryption and user verification. In future, devices will have to offer not only low power consumption and ease of use but also basic security functions. Tough challenges, yet in the field of encryption there is already a proven technology capable of providing the required security: MISTY.

Right from the initial planning stage, MISTY was designed so that it could optimize the load balance between hardware and software processing to suit different environments. In the form of a secure chip, it is ideal for embedding in the many appliances around our homes - TVs, VCRs, microwave ovens, rice cookers, refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, air conditioners, cameras, fax machines, mobile phones, cars, and so on. Mitsubishi Electric is currently developing a variety of devices that can offer secure ubiquitous networking thanks to a combination of MISTY with network technologies such as IPv6, LSIs and other high-density mounting technologies, and also firmware technologies.

As one of Japan’s leading manufacturers of electrical household appliances, Mitsubishi Electric brought convenience to peoples’ lives in the 20th century. And now, with ubiquitous networks set to change our lifestyles, the company is enhancing security using its own advanced encryption and security technologies. Clearly, in the 21st century too, Mitsubishi Electric will continue to play an important role in people’s lives.