IBM has unveiled IBM Z, a mainframe capable of running more than 12 billion encrypted transactions per day. The new system also introduces a new encryption engine that the company says will, for the first time, make it possible to pervasively encrypt data associated with any application, cloud service or database all the time. The system's advanced cryptographic capability can now extend across any data, network, external device or entire application – such as the IBM Cloud Blockchain service – with no application changes and no impact on business service level agreements.
The system boasts tamper-responding encryption keys and encrypted APIs and can help companies comply with with new standards such as the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) set to go into effect next year. At the US Federal level, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), which includes the five banking regulators, provides guidance on the use of encryption in the financial services industry. Singapore and Hong Kong have published similar guidance. More recently, the New York State Department of Financial Services published requirements regarding encryption in the Cybersecurity Requirements for Financial Services Companies.
IBM Z integrated with IBM Security software, streamlining security and compliance processes. IBM Z will also go onto the IBM Cloud, launching initially as an encryption engine for cloud services and to run IBM Blockchain services, with the aim of providing the highest commercially available levels of cryptographic hardware. IBM has therefore also announced that six IBM Cloud Blockchain data centres will beusing IBM Z as their encryption engine, namely those in Dallas, London, Frankfurt, Sao Paolo, Tokyo and Toronto.
IBM said its new data encryption capabilities are designed to address the global epidemic of data breaches, faster, and at a cheaper cost, with container pricing and other payment possibilities.
