PCI communication cards

July 2003 PLCs, DCSs & Controllers Information Security

A range of PCI communication cards with speeds of up to 921,6 Kbps is available from ProMicro. I/O addressing is automatically assigned by the PCI plug-and-play capability. The board requires only one PCI slot within the PC and provides independent serial channels. All channels are addressed in a continuous 32 byte I/O block for simplified software access and all channels may share one PCI interrupt. An interrupt status register is available for determining the interrupt source.

The PCI-1601/20 range is supplied as two-, four-, and eight-port configurations with standard 16PCI954 UARTs containing 128 byte FIFOs that greatly reduce CPU load. This makes the cards ideal for heavy-duty, multitasking environments.

Optical couplers offering electrical isolation of up to 3000 V d.c. protects the PC and equipment against ground loops, increasing system reliability in harsh environments. Optional surge protection is available to protect equipment against high voltage surges of up to 2500 V d.c.

A function library provides over 50 easy-to-use APIs especially designed for serial communication. The RS485 network with automatic data flow control utilises the RS232 software which automatically senses the direction of incoming data and switches its transmission direction accordingly, making it look and act like an RS232 network.

For more information contact Elton Prytz, ProMicro, 011 706 7913, [email protected], www.promicro.co.za

Further reading:

The growing role of hybrid backup
Infrastructure Information Security
As Africa’s digital economy rapidly grows, businesses across the continent are facing the challenge of securing data in an environment characterised by evolving cyberthreats, unreliable connectivity and diverse regulatory frameworks.

Read more...

---

Choicejacking bypasses smartphone charging security
News & Events Information Security
Choicejacking is a new cyberthreat that bypasses smartphone charging security defences to confirm, without the victim’s input or consent, that the victim wishes to connect in data-transfer mode.

Read more...

---

Most wanted malware
News & Events Information Security
Check Point Software Technologies unveiled its Global Threat Index for June 2025, highlighting a surge in new and evolving threats. Eight African countries are among the most targeted as malware leaders AsyncRAT and FakeUpdates expand.

Read more...

---

SMARTpod talks to Sophos and Phishield
SMART Security Solutions Technews Publishing Sophos Videos Information Security News & Events
SMARTpod recently spoke with Pieter Nel, Sales Director for SADC at Sophos, and Sarel Lamprecht, MD at Phishield, about ransomware and their new cyber insurance partnership.

Read more...

---

Cybersecurity and insurance partnership for sub-Saharan Africa
Sophos News & Events Information Security Security Services & Risk Management
Sophos and Phishield Announce first-of-its-kind cybersecurity and insurance partnership for sub-Saharan Africa. The SMARTpod podcast, discussing the deal and the state of ransomware in South Africa and globally, is now also available.

Read more...

---

Corporate and academic teams can register for Kaspersky contest
Kaspersky News & Events Information Security
Kaspersky has announced the registration opening for its new Kaspersky{CTF} (Capture the Flag) competition, inviting academic and corporate teams from around the globe to compete in a battle of skill, strategy and innovation.

Read more...

---

Continuous security optimisation.
News & Events Information Security
Cymulate has announced its partnership with SentinelOne, a threat exposure validation and AI-powered cybersecurity platform. The collaboration delivers self-healing endpoint security that empowers businesses to increase protection for every endpoint on their network.

Read more...

---

Protect your smart home devices
Kaspersky IoT & Automation Information Security Smart Home Automation
Voice assistants, kitchen robots, smart lights and many other intelligent devices have become part of our everyday life. However, with the rise of smart technology comes the need for robust protection against potential vulnerabilities.

Read more...

---

ISPA’s take-down process protects from local scams
News & Events Information Security
During the recent school holidays, parents could rest a little easier knowing that ISPA, SA’s official internet industry representative body, is removing an average of three to four problematic websites from the local internet every week.

Read more...

---

SA’s strained, loadshedding-prone grid faces cyberthreats
Power Management Information Security
South Africa’s energy sector, already battered by decades of underinvestment and loadshedding, faces another escalating crisis; a wave of cyberthreats that could turn disruptions into catastrophic failures. Attacks are already happening internationally.

Read more...

---