# Fortezza > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Fortezza > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Fortezza.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortezza > Source revision: 1327898548 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Information security system This article is about Fortezza the security system. For town in [Italy](/source/Italy), see [Franzensfeste](/source/Franzensfeste). A Fortezza card made by Mykotronx Corp. **Fortezza** is an [information security](/source/Information_security) system[1] that uses the **Fortezza Crypto Card**, a [PC Card](/source/PC_Card)-based [security token](/source/Security_token).[2] It was developed for the U.S. government's [Clipper chip](/source/Clipper_chip) project and has been used by the U.S. Government in various applications. Each individual who is authorized to see protected information is issued a *Fortezza card* that stores [private keys](/source/Public_key) and other data needed to gain access. It contains an NSA approved security microprocessor called *[Capstone](/source/Capstone_(cryptography))* ([MYK-80](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MYK-80&action=edit&redlink=1)) that implements the [Skipjack](/source/Skipjack_(cipher)) [encryption](/source/Encryption) algorithm. The original Fortezza card (KOV-8) is a [Type 2](/source/Type_2_encryption) product which means it cannot be used for [classified information](/source/Classified_information). The most widely used [Type 1 encryption](/source/Type_1_encryption) card is the KOV-12 Fortezza card which is used extensively for the [Defense Message System](/source/Defense_Message_System) (DMS). The KOV-12 is cleared up to TOP SECRET/SCI. A later version, called [KOV-14](/source/KOV-14) or **Fortezza Plus**, uses a [Krypton microprocessor](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Krypton_microprocessor&action=edit&redlink=1) that implements stronger, [Type 1 encryption](/source/Type_1_encryption) and may be used for information [classified](/source/Classified_information_in_the_United_States) up to TOP SECRET/SCI. It, in turn, is being replaced by the newer [KSV-21](/source/KSV-21) PC card with more modern algorithms and additional capabilities. The cards are interchangeable within the many types of equipment that support Fortezza and can be rekeyed and reprogrammed by the owners, making them easy to issue and reuse. This simplifies the process of rekeying equipment for crypto changes: instead of requiring an expensive [fill device](/source/Fill_device), a technician is able to put a new Fortezza card in the device's PCMCIA slot. The Fortezza Plus card and its successors are used with NSA's [Secure Terminal Equipment](/source/Secure_Terminal_Equipment) voice and data encryption systems that are replacing the [STU-III](/source/STU-III). It is manufactured by the [Mykotronx](/source/Mykotronx) Corporation and by [Spyrus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spyrus&action=edit&redlink=1). Each card costs about $240 and they are commonly used with card readers sold by [Litronic](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Litronic&action=edit&redlink=1) Corporation. The Fortezza card has been used in government, military, and banking applications to protect sensitive data.[3] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Shirey, Robert (August 2007). ["Definitions"](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc4949#page-133). [*Internet Security Glossary, Version 2*](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc4949). [IETF](/source/Internet_Engineering_Task_Force). p. 133. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.17487/RFC4949](https://doi.org/10.17487%2FRFC4949). [RFC](/source/Request_for_Comments) [4949](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc4949). Retrieved February 16, 2012. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["FIPS-140-1 Security and FORTEZZA Crypto Cards"](https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc962054.aspx). *Choosing Security Solutions That Use Public Key Technology*. Microsoft. Retrieved February 16, 2012. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** John R. Vacca (May 1995). ["NSA provides value-added crypto security - National Security Agency; Group Technology's Fortezza Crypto Card"](http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CMN/is_/ai_16967291). *Communications News*. Nelson Publishing. Retrieved February 16, 2012. - ["FORTEZZA crypto card"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120614230803/http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Military-Communications/FORTEZZA-crypto-card-United-States.html). *Jane's Military Communications*. Jane's Information Group. Aug 10, 2009. Archived from [the original](http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Military-Communications/FORTEZZA-crypto-card-United-States.html) on June 14, 2012. Retrieved February 16, 2012. - Workstation Security Products Division (2 January 1997). ["Basic Certification Requirements for FORTEZZA™ Applications"](http://cryptome.org/jya/fortcert.htm). National Security Agency. Retrieved February 16, 2012. - ["NSA provides value-added crypto security"](http://www.thefreelibrary.com/NSA+provides+value-added+crypto+security.-a016967291). - ["Fortezza Crypto Card"](http://www.cryptomuseum.com/crypto/usa/fortezza/index.htm). Crypto Museum. Retrieved February 16, 2012. - Kenneth W. Dam and Herbert S. Lin, ed. (1996). ["The Capstone/Fortezza Initiative"](https://books.google.com/books?id=xunSilIFTh4C&pg=PA176). *Cryptography's role in securing the information society*. National Research Council. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. pp. 176–177. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-309-05475-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-309-05475-1). Retrieved 16 February 2012. - Peter Gutmann (2004). ["The Capstone/Fortezza Generator"](https://books.google.com/books?id=MKcaOgrUYoMC&pg=PA236). *Cryptographic security architecture: design and verification*. New York: Springer. pp. 236–237. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-387-95387-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-387-95387-8). Retrieved 16 February 2012. ## External links - [SafeNet web site (Mykotronx is a division of SafeNet)](http://www.safenet-inc.com) - [Spyrus web site](http://www.spyrus.com) - [Litronic web site](http://www.litronic.com) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fortezza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortezza) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortezza?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.