Postal Security

Penumbra is the world leader in postal evidencing systems (PES) (aka. Franking Machines or Postage Meters or PC Postage) country conformance testing and security assessments. Penumbra supports the conformance testing for the largest postal entities in the world such as the USPS, Deutsche Post A.G., Canada Post and the UK Royal Mail. They also support many other countries.

At the heart of each digital PES is a postal security device (PSD), a FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic module that physically and logically protects customer funds stored within the device. The PES prints evidence of postage in the form of an indicium that utilizes a 2D barcode with various data elements that are digitally signed using a FIPS Approved cryptographic operation. This provides both data integrity and non-repudiation i.e. the sender's unique authentication.

Each PSD obtains an independent FIPS 140-2 Security Level 3 + EFP/EFT validation certificate issued by the CMVP.

In 2012 Penumbra authored the USPS standard for PES conformance. Known as the Intelligent Mail Indicia Performance Criteria (IMI PC) this provides the minimum requirements for all PES seeking approval from the USPS.