Compaq Announces First Nation-to-Nation Public Key Infrastructure Based E-Commerce Transactions.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 14, 1998--

Singapore/Canada cross-certification trials anchored by iTP Certificate Securrastructure (PKI) cross-certification trial, successfully conducted on June 1 between the governments of Singapore and Canada. This announcement brings customers the choint marks the first instance of national PKIs int Certification Authority, Netrust Pte. Ltd.--is based on the iTP Certificate Security Solution (CSS) from Compaq. The iTP Certificate Security Solution is a key element with the same reliability, scalability and security over the Internet that has been traditionally enjoyed ov and non-repudiation of transmissions routed over public and private data networks through the use of X.509-based digital certificates and digital signature technologies. The system is already serving Singapore users in home banking, government, healthcare, and education applications.

Netrust--which expects its system to grow to serve moregital certificates--residing on a fault-tolerantgin to flow over the Internet or any public PKI-enabled networks," said Patrick Smyth, vice president and general manager of electronic commerce for the Tandem division of Compaq. "We are pleased to be working with forward-looking Netrust by providing highly reliable and scalable Compaq electronic commerce solutions to build Singapore's advanced infrastructure into the new century."

In the cross-certification trial, requests for certificates, which securely authenticate the parties in the transactions, were successfully accepted between the Singapore and Canadian PKI systems' certificate directories. Cross certification of certificates between the certification authorities was also successfully demonstrated, as was interoperability of encrypted and digitally signed transactions.

Netrust's CSS implementation uses a SignMaster(tm) Internet Security Processor, a hardware-based cryptography processor from Compaq's Atalla division, to offload compute-intensive public key cryptography operations from the Certificate Manager server. These functions include public-keys generation and certificates signing. The SignMaster solution also provides a hardware-secured environment, protecting critical cryptography elements and operations from unwanted capture. The solution also incorporates smart-card technology, enabling each user's private signing keys and other personal encryption keys to be stored on smart-cards for higher levels of security protection and transportability.

Company Background

Founded in 1982, Compaq Computer Corporation is a Fortune Global 200 company. Compaq is the second largest computer company in the world and the largest global supplier of personal computers. Compaq develops and markets hardware, software, solutions, and services, including industry-leading enterprise computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, networking and communication products, commercial desktop and portable products and consumer PCs. The company is an industry leader in environmentally friendly programs and business practices.

Compaq products are sold and supported in more than 100 countries through a network of authorized Compaq marketing partners. Customer support and information about Compaq and its products are available at http://www.compaq.com.

Compaq and the names of Compaq products referenced herein are either trademarks and/or service marks or registered trademarks and/or service marks of Compaq Computer Corporation. Tandem, Atalla, iTP, NonStop, and SignMaster are trademarks or registered trademarks of Tandem Computers in the United States and/or other countries, Windows NT is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States or other countries.

    CONTACT: Compaq Computer Corporation
              Kristine Austin, 408-285-6645
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