Adobe announces licensing agreement with RSA Data Security for Adobe Acrobat.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 9, 1995--Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) Monday announced a licensing agreement with RSA Data Security Inc. to integrate a broad suite of security technology into Adobe Acrobat electronic document software.

The agreement provides Adobe with the technology to further evolve Acrobat software to meet requirements in all areas of electronic information dissemination, including intellectual property protection, electronic commerce and digital signature authentication.

Adobe Acrobat 2.0 currently includes RSA Data Security's RC4 Symmetric Stream Cipher, an encryption technique that allows Acrobat customers to control the ability to view, print, reuse, or modify Acrobat files. Under terms of the agreement, Adobe will now be able to integrate a broad range of RSA's encryption technology into future Acrobat software products, opening up market opportunities for Acrobat developers and creating new application possibilities for electronic document systems in secure environments.

"Acrobat software is rapidly becoming the technology of choice for the electronic distribution of formatted documents, particularly in areas like government, financial services, pharmaceuticals and corporate document management, where security can be a concern," said Kevin Wandryk, director of business development for Adobe Systems Inc. "This relationship provides us with another significant component in the Acrobat product family, giving our customers and developer partners a broader set of tools for the digital distribution and management of electronic documents."

Acrobat 2.0 software allows users to create, view, search and print visually rich documents that maintain their original look and feel across virtually any computer platform or printer. Acrobat software supports interapplication communication industry standards, such as OLE, DDE and AppleEvents, and provides an open interface to allow end users and developers to easily build integrated document solutions incorporating Acrobat functionality.

"We're delighted to have a world-leader such as Adobe as our newest licensee," said Jim Bidzos, president, RSA Data Security Inc. "Combined with RSA technology, Acrobat software can provide an ideal medium for the digital distribution of sensitive information while offering a powerful solution for emerging applications like electronic commerce."

RSD Data Security Inc. is a recognized world leader in cryptography, with over 6 million copies of its software encryption and authentication installed and in use worldwide. RSA is the worldwide defacto standard for public-key encryption and digital signatures, and is part of existing and proposed standards for the Internet, CCITT, ISO, ANSI, IEEE and business and financial networks around the globe.

The company develops and markets platform-independent software developer's kits, end-user products, and provides comprehensive consulting services in the cryptographic sciences. RSA technology has been embedded in the products of companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Apple Computer and many others. Founded in 1982 by the inventors of the patented RSA Public Key Cryptosystem, the company is headquartered in Redwood City, Calif.

Adobe Systems Inc., founded in 1982, is headquartered in Mountain View. Adobe develops, markets and supports computer software products and technologies that enable users to create, display, print and communicate electronic documents. The company licenses its technology to major computer, printing, and publishing suppliers, and markets a line of application software and type products for authoring visually rich documents.

Additionally, the company markets a line of powerful, but easy to use, products for home and small business users. Adobe has subsidiaries in Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim serving a worldwide network of dealers and distributors. Adobe recently completed a merger with Aldus Corp., and Adobe's 1993 revenue on a combined basis was approximately $520 million.

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Note to Editors: Adobe and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems Inc., which may be registered in certain jurisdictions.

CONTACT: Adobe Systems Inc.

Rick Brown, 415/962-6060