Düsseldorf, Germany-based mobile operator Vodafone Germany is offering SIM card-based email, document and device encryption to its corporate and public sector customers. The technology was developed by mobile security provider Giesecke & Devrient in collaboration with Vodafone, according to an announcement from G&D.

The Vodafone Secure SIM Data system encrypts and signs emails and documents as well as data carriers and VPN connections, according to the announcement, and it does not require the use of separate hardware such as smart cards, security tokens or card readers. Instead, the user's digital private key and certificates are stored on their phone, notebook or tablet's SIM card.

"We created Vodafone Secure SIM Data as a simple, cost-efficient and secure value-added service for the telecommunications company's corporate customers," Carsten Ahrens, G&D server software and services division's group senior vice president, said in a statement. "It regulates access to sensitive data while also protecting mobile data communication effectively against attack."

Vodafone Secure SIM Data is the second mobile communication security system developed by Vodafone and G&D that uses G&D's SIM technology. In March 2012, Vodafone announced that it had chosen G&D to create security products based on standard SIM cards. Vodafone said the platform would provide services such as secure mobile access to intranet and cloud services, encryption of e-mail and voice communications, and protection of the data stored on mobile devices. Besides electronic data traffic, the solution would also be used to encrypt storage media such as USB sticks or hard drives.