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Eracom CSA-8000 → ← DES-HSM
Hardware Security Module · 1998
CSA-7000 is a non-proprietary tamperproof
hardware security module (HSM),
developed around 1998 by the Australian multinational company
Eracom Technologies Pty. Ltd., with complementing
software developed by Concord-Eracom in Amsterdam
(Netherlands). It has a PCI-bus, and supersedes earlier ISA-bus
cards. It was succeeded in 2000 by the more versatile CSA-8000.
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The device can be installed in a regular IBM-compatible PC of the era
(with PCI-bus), and has two
RS232 serial communication ports that are
available on two 9-pin DE-9 female sockets.
The only electronic parts that are visible on the card, are the Maxim
MAX248-chip that implements the two serial ports, and a 3.6 V Lithium battery
which retains the contents of the on-board CMOS RAM that holds the
encryption keys.
The rest of the components are covered by a metal shell that is soldered
to the board, whilst the bottom side is covered by a black coating.
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This is probably done to prevent the tracks on the printed circuit board
(PCB) from being traced.
Cutting the voltage from the backup battery instantly purges the stored keys.
This procedure is known in military jargon as ZEROIZING and can also be used
when the device is not powered.
For encryption, the card features the RSA algorithm with a key length of
up to 2048 bits. It is currently unknown whether any further algorithms are
implemented. The card was taken into production in 1998, shortly after
the Dutch Concord-Eracom had taken over the
Australian Eracom Technologies Pty. Ltd..
This is why the name Concord-Eracom is printed on the board.
The CSA-7000 was short-lived and was succeeded in 2000 by the
CSA-8000 (later also known as ProtecServer Orange),
which supports a wide range of symmetric and
asymmetric algorithms.
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At the rear panel of the card are two 9-pin
female DE-9 sockets, each of which
provides a full RS232 serial port.
Below is the pinout for each of the two ports,
when looking into the receptacle.
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DCD Data Carrier Detect TXD Transmit Data RXD Receive Data DTR Data Terminal Ready GND Ground DSR Data Set Ready CTS Clear To Send RTS Request To Send RI Ring Indicator
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Device Hardware Security Module (HSM) Purpose Secure communications, processing of sensitive data Model CSA-7000 Manufacturer Eracom Year 1998 ~ Country Australia, Netherlands Predecessor DES-HSM Successor CSA-8000 Bus PCI Interface Dual RS232 Encryption RSA 2048 Compatibility Java Cryptography Architecture API PKCS #11 Compliance FIPS Battery 3.6 V Lithium (backup) AA-size Dimensions 125 × 23 × 210 mm Weight 210 g
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- Benne de Weger, Eracom CSA-7000 hardware security module - THANKS !
Crypto Museum, August 2026.
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Tuesday 06 October 2026. Last changed: Wednesday, 07 October 2026 - 13:16 CET.
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