ARM links with G&D to secure mobile phone payments

The partners will use ARM's TrustZone technology, which creates a protected area in SoCs, and G&D's Mobicore operating system, to support applications such as electronic payment and online banking via mobile phones. Rob Brown, secure technology marketing manager with ARM, said the company has been looking at the use of Near Field Communications (NFC) payment technology for mobiles. "But the challenge is that, if you are using a SIM, how do you connect or take a PIN to authorise the transaction? That's what we're working on with G&D." In Brown's opinion, while NFC enabled mobiles aren't suitable for payment applications, 'more desirable' handsets run open operating systems. "What we're looking to do is to use TrustZone to separate the two worlds. By being open and secure, we can run two OS on one processor and G&D brings secure smartcard expertise." Brown says the solution will be complementary to a SIM card, which could be used to store security keys. Both companies will be demonstrating the technology at next week's Mobile World Congress, in association with a silicon manufacturer. "We're also talking with three major handset manufacturers about what features they would like to offer, as well as with payment companies." Brown believes it will be a 'couple of years' before its technology is available in mobile phones. "When it is, the phones will be ready for payment and branded as such," he concluded.