--- begin forwarded text From: clairew@mediaone.net Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 21:09:22 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 To: rah@shipwright.com Subject: Pitney Bowes Sponsors World's Only Center for Applied Cryptographic Research X-Priority: 3 (Normal) Pitney Bowes Sponsors World's Only Center for Applied Cryptographic Research STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 1997-- Messaging Leader Teams With The University of Waterloo, Certicom Corp. and The National Science Education and Research Council of Canada In an age of explosive growth of electronic commerce, effective protection of data storage and communications is vital. Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI), is supporting and funding critical research into protection of electronic commerce at one of the most highly acclaimed academic sources of cryptographic knowledge, the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Pitney Bowes is partnering with Certicom Corp. of Toronto, to found the Centre for Applied Cryptographic Research at the University of Waterloo. Both companies are joined by the National Science Education and Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Communication and Information Technology Ontario (CITO) in the creation of two Industrial Research Chairs in Cryptography. Cryptographic research delves into the process of coding data for its protection and secure transfer. Cryptography, in all of its applications including data confidentiality, data integrity, and user authentication, is an extremely powerful tool for protecting information. Increasing research and knowledge of cryptography can ultimately increase the efficiency with which businesses operate and open up new business opportunities. Cryptography is one of the keys to doing business in the 21st century according to Dr. Joseph Wall, chief technology officer of Pitney Bowes Inc. "We are proud to help create this research center and anticipate significant advances in the technology and its understanding. We look forward to combining these advances with our understanding of business applications to deliver solutions which enhance confidentiality, security and integrity in the electronic marketplace. "Pitney Bowes has been researching and using cryptographic applications to help customers securely transmit data and funds since the 1960s. Cryptography will continue to be one of our technological cornerstones as we design solutions which help customers manage efficiently in their information-rich environment." Pitney Bowes is one of the largest users of applied cryptography in the world. For example, cryptographic technology is an important component in the system which Pitney Bowes used to securely download over $10 billion in postage revenues worldwide in 1996. Known commercially as Postage by Phone(R), Pitney Bowes developed and patented the system in the 1960s, received U.S. postal approval to introduce it to the marketplace in 1978, and expanded its usage to a variety of applications in 18 countries. The chair at the University of Waterloo will be established in association with the Natural Sciences Engineering Research Council (NSERC). The NSERC/Pitney Bowes chairholder will be Dr. Scott Vanstone, a faculty member at St. Jerome's College, University of Waterloo and Chief Cryptographer of Certicom Corp. Professor Vanstone will take up the chair on Jan. 1, 1998. He is one of the world's leading cryptographers and is co-author of the 1997 book Handbook of Applied Cryptography. The other chair at the University will be sponsored by Certicom Corp., which researches, develops and licenses advanced cryptographic technologies. The Certicom/NSERC chair will be Dr. Douglas Stinson, author of Cryptography: Theory and Practice. With regard to mathematical cryptography and combinatorics, the University of Waterloo is the leading university in Canada and with the establishment of the Centre for Applied Cryptographic Research, will be one of the top research and educational facilities in the world. Along with the core research group of Dr. Vanstone and Dr. Stinson, Dr. Leon Pintsov of Pitney Bowes will be a member of the scientific advisory board of the Centre. Pitney Bowes is a $3.9 billion provider of products and services that support the efficient management of messages and packages in physical and digital form. for more information about the company, visit the company's Web site at: http://www.pitneybowes.com . --30--CB/np* JS/np RG/KDB/ny CONTACT: Pitney Bowes, Stamford Sheryl Y. Battles, 203/351-6808 --- end forwarded text ----------------- Robert Hettinga (rah@shipwright.com), Philodox e$, 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' The e$ Home Page: http://www.shipwright.com/ Ask me about FC98 in Anguilla!: <http://www.fc98.ai/>