The advantage of a secure crypto module on an insecure server (or router or whatever) is in limiting the scope of successful attack. Just to expand on this, the scope is limited in _time_, not space. That's, when you pull out the module (literally or figuratively), the attack is known to be over -- and don't plug it back into a machine of unknown state. The main important difference between this attack and just learning the server's secret is that it only remains useful as long as the attack is undiscovered. Yes. Typically, once the attack is discovered, the method used in the attack is also discovered. The particular hole is then patched. The system can now be put back online without fear of immediate re-compromise. Eric