Netscape to Offer Fortezza Cryptographic Capability for Its Software Products Underscores Company's Commitment to US Government Market Mountain View, Calif., Oct. 10 -- Netscape Communications Corporation announced today its intent to support the Fortezza security card, a security technology based on US government standard cryptography, as a low-cost upgrade capability for its Netscape Navigator(TM) client software and other Netscape products. The new capability will enhance Netscape's offerings for the US government market and enable the company to provide increased support for security services for World Wide Web-based tools and technology. Developed by the National Security Agency, Fortezza PC card technology provides strong authentication and encryption services using US government standard cryptography, implemented in an industry-standard PCMCIA security token. Fortezza PC cards are being used in the Defense Message System (DMS), a new Department of Defense electronic messaging system; Intelink, the new US Government Intelligence Community search system based on Web technology, and in a number of other government systems. "Fortezza is an important technology for major internal US government networks and for organizations needing Web-based technology with strong security," said Marc Andreessen, vice president of technology at Netscape. "Support of Fortezza technology will strengthen our position as a leading supplier of Web-based software products to the federal government. We can use the experience gained with Fortezza and the Secure Sockets Layer open protocol to implement support for additional cryptographic devices important to both the federal government and commercial markets." Netscape expects to work with information security specialist Litronic Industries and others regarding the development, integration and support of the Fortezza cryptographic interface. Litronic provides technical expertise for the implementation of Fortezza libraries and drivers on a wide variety of platforms. California-based Litronic Industries designs, manufactures and markets information security products used to secure applications and data transmissions through the use of encryption technology. Support for Fortezza has been added to Netscape's Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) open protocol. SSL provides a straightforward method for adding strong security to existing applications and network infrastructures. SSL is application protocol independent and provides encryption, which creates a secured channel to prevent others from tapping into the network; authentication, which uses certificates and digital signatures to verify the identity of parties in information exchanges and transactions; and message integrity, which ensures that messages cannot be altered en route. Netscape will upgrade Netscape Navigator and other Netscape products to support the use of Fortezza with SSL as an enhanced alternative to software-based cryptographic mechanisms. "The US government is rapidly moving to World Wide Web and related open systems technology as an alternative to proprietary networks and applications," said Paul A. Strassmann, former director of defense information and principal deputy assistant secretary of defense, and currently distinguished visiting professor of information warfare at the National Defense University. "Many federal agencies are adopting Fortezza technology as a means to secure network transactions over unclassified and classified networks. We are pleased to see Netscape provide support for Fortezza cryptographic cards in a commercial product based on open systems standards." Contact: Kristina Lessing of Netscape, 415-528-2661, or kristina@netscape.com