Interest invited in secure e-mail link

By ADAM GIFFORD

The State Services Commission's e-government unit is seeking expressions of interest from software vendors wanting to be accredited for version two of the Secure Electronic Environment (SEE) Mail project.

Unit member Mike Pearson says SEE Mail version 2, which should be completed within the next couple of weeks, sets requirements for e-mail screening and encryption software used by Government agencies and companies doing business with the Government.

"We test whether vendors can configure their products to meet our business requirements. If they pass, we can say to the agencies the product is suitable for use."

Three products were accredited for stage one of SEE Mail, which was aimed at core Government departments.

When CSC, which was offering the Tumbleweed product, pulled out, the market was left to Scientific Software and Solutions selling Baltimore Secret Sweeper, and Baycorp ID Services which sells Mail Marshall.

Mr Pearson said those companies were allowed a duopoly in recognition of their contribution to getting the system running, but it was made clear that the market would be opened to other vendors once initial development was completed.

So far, 13 departments have SEE Mail.

"There are 40 core central agencies and 230 odd external agencies, so there is a large market," Mr Pearson said.

"Version 2 is for not just the core departments and agencies.

"Banks, law firms and anyone who does business with the Government on a corporate level can be included in the secure e-mail system."

SEE Mail puts a secure wrapper around mail. When the receiving server recognises it comes from a known domain, it will unwrap the message and pass it on.

If it does not recognise the sender, it will insert a warning that the mail is unverified. It will also warn if mail has been tampered with.

"SEE Mail is about defining expected behaviour when sending e-mail between known places."

Mr Pearson said version 2 should fix many of the problems identified during the first year, such as what should happen when people forget to renew public key certificates.

"If the mail is in transit and a certificate is required, the system will reject it.

"What we want is for the message to get through, but with a warning it is unverified."

Of all the countries which had tried gateway-to-gateway systems, he said, New Zealand seemed to be the only one to have successfully put one into operation.

SEE Mail project

Security in Government Departments