Check Point Software Revolutionizes Internet Security Management; Visual Policy Editor Delivers Greater Control of Internet Security.

Business Editors &High-Tech Writers

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 24, 2000

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq:CHKP), the worldwide leader in securing the Internet, announced today the introduction of its Visual Policy Editor -- the industry's first graphical security tool for managing Internet security.

This groundbreaking policy management tool enables security managers to visualize and manage security policies using a detailed graphical map of their entire security and network deployment. As part of Check Point's Secure Virtual Network (SVN) architecture, the Visual Policy Editor revolutionizes Internet security management by allowing security managers to view their entire security deployment at a glance for greater control, improved security, and unparalleled ease-of-use.

&uot;Check Point's Visual Policy Editor breaks new ground in simplifying policy creation, and modification,&uot; said John McConnell, president of McConnell Associates. &uot;Customers appreciate the value of policies, but have been stymied by the complexity of creating and deploying them. Check Point's new policy management tool simplifies the process by presenting policy impacts and participants in a clear and intuitive way.&uot;

Greater Control

The Visual Policy Editor improves the security manager's control of Internet security by providing a complete picture of the enterprise-wide security deployment through a map of objects -- firewalls, VPNs, servers, networks, routers, etc. -- and the relationships between them.

Unlike traditional management tools, this mapping capability delivers a visual overview of the network security topology, increasing users' control and understanding of their organization's security deployment.

Improved Security

The new tool improves security by illustrating the actual effect the security policy will have when it is enforced. Showing the impact of policy rules enables the security manager to validate the intent and integrity of the policy. For example, the Visual Policy Editor can highlight precisely what traffic is permitted into a corporate network. This eliminates the common errors resulting from a mismatch between what the security manager intends to enact in the security policy and the policy's actual effect.

Enhanced Ease-of-Use

The Visual Policy Editor also sets a new standard for ease of use and management simplicity. Critical elements of the security policy can be instantly located, saving the operator from searching large databases populated with security objects, such as firewalls, VPN gateways, Web servers, and others. Once discovered, the security manager can easily and directly edit object parameters and intuitively define new object groups for more efficient policy creation.

&uot;Security managers everywhere face the challenge of ensuring that the actual security policy implemented matches their larger intent,&uot; said Asheem Chandna, vice president of marketing and business development for Check Point Software Technologies. &uot;Check Point's new Visual Policy Editor provides customers with a unique understanding of their enterprise security policy, resulting in increased control, security and ease of use.&uot;

With Check Point's industry-leading FireWall-1(R), Check Point Software changed the face of security management with the industry's first rule-based, graphical user interface. Now with the announcement of the Visual Policy Editor, Check Point has once again established a new paradigm in security management by allowing users to intuitively understand and manage complex security configurations for greater control, improved security and enhanced ease of use.

About Check Point Software Technologies

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. is the worldwide leader in securing the Internet. The company's Secure Virtual Network (SVN) architecture provides the infrastructure that enables secure and reliable Internet communications. SVN secures business-to-business (B2B) communications between networks, systems, applications and users across the Internet, Intranets and extranets.

Check Point's Open Platform for Security (OPSEC) provides the framework for integration and interoperability with &uot;best-of-breed&uot; solutions from over 200 leading industry partners. For more information, please call us at 800/429-4391 or 650/628-2000 or visit us on the Web at http://www.checkpoint.com or at http://www.opsec.com.

Note to Editors: Check Point, the Check Point logo, FireWall-1, FloodGate-1, INSPECT, IQ Engine, Meta IP, Open Security Extension, OPSEC, Provider-1, User-to-Address Mapping, VPN-1, VPN-1 Accelerator Card, VPN-1 Appliance, VPN-1 Certificate Manager, VPN-1 Gateway, VPN-1 SecuRemote, VPN-1 SecureServer, Secure Virtual Network and ConnectControl are trademarks or registered trademarks of Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. or its affiliates. All other product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The products described in this document are protected by U.S. Patent No. 5,606,668 and 5,835,726 and may be protected by other U.S. Patents, foreign patents, or pending applications.

Please see separate release on Check Point's 2000 edition. For the press presentation regarding the Visual Policy Editor (Microsoft Power Point), please go to www.checkpoint.com/press/cp2000.