Atalla announces new open connectivity network security processor for ATM/EFT/POS networks; Competitively priced A10000E NSP has unsurpassed performance for UNIX & NT 4.0 hosts with a TCP/IP over Ethernet connection.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 12, 1997--Atalla Corporation, the leader in hardware-based network security products, today announced its new A10000E high-performance Network Security Processor (NSP).

The new NSP product brings Atalla's strong security functionality to open system ATM/EFT/POS networks. These networks are typically used to process electronic transactions and related services for electronic banking and retailing, but are also used worldwide in diverse industries such as healthcare, government, transportation and petroleum.

"We've built much of what we've learned securing transactions over the past 25 years into this new Ethernet-based NSP product," said Robert Gargus, president and general manger of Atalla. "It provides the high-performance, the physical and logical security, and the advanced key management capabilities that customers have come to expect from Atalla to a new tier of open systems-based applications."

Internal benchmarks conducted by Atalla have rated the new A10000E NSP product at more than 300 transactions per second as part of a typical ATM/EFT/POS configuration. The new NSP product also includes a wide range of custom commands developed to meet international and domestic requirements, as well as open platforms connectivity for hosts via a point-to-point TCP/IP over Ethernet connection. In addition, the A10000E NSP meets all EFT operational requirements and supports all relevant ISO and ANSI standards.

The list price of the A10000E NSP is $24,900.

The Atalla NSP architecture supports a hierarchical key management scheme making it the most sophisticated security system available today. Hardware-based solutions perform all cryptographic processing within the confines of a physically and logically secure shell. Any attempt to tamper with the system triggers "zeroization" of data such as passwords, and keys. Hardware-embedded programming prevents retrieval of keys or sensitive data in cleartext form. The Atalla A10000E NSP also provides for the generation and processing of keys for DES-based debit and EBT transactions.

Atalla Corporation

Atalla has nearly 25 years of experience securing commerce over private networks. The company's products include industry-leading hardware-based security processors for the Internet, Intranet and the bank transfer networks, POS/POE (point-of-sale/point-of-entry) credit/debit payment terminals, customer authorization and PIN selection terminals, and secure enrollment products for banking, retailing and government applications. An estimated 70 percent of all ATM transactions in North America (estimated value: $1.4 trillion daily) are secured by Atalla's specialized security processor products. Atalla Corporation is headquartered at 2304 Zanker Road, San Jose CA 95131. Phone: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. www.atalla.com -0-

Note to Editors: Atalla is a registered trademark of Atalla Corporation in the US and/or other countries. All other marks are property of their respective companies.

CONTACT: Atalla - A Tandem Company

Kevin Jordan, 408/435-5342