Cylink Ships CIDEC 3.00 Family of Hardware Link Encryptors, the Strongest Network Security Solution Available.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 3, 1997--

Newest Version Offers Triple-DES, New Support for Financial

Industry Key Management, and More Powerful Public Keys -0-

    Cylink Corporation (NASDAQ:CYLK), the leading provider of
network security solutions, today announced the general availability
of enhancements to its successful CIDEC family of hardware link
encryptors.  The CIDEC Release 3.00 family now includes:

    -- Optional Triple-DES (Data Encryption Standard), providing the
       strongest commercial security standard on the market;
    -- Support for ANSI X9.42 public key cryptography standards for
       financial institutions;
    -- 1024-bit public keys; and
    -- Full compliance with year 2000 ISO requirements.

-0-

Cylink's CIDEC products transparently secure networks over high-speed, point-to-point or dial-up communication links. They are ideal for providing network security in host, LAN server, and for applications such as video conferencing.

"Because our customers want the most flexible network security products, we applied our continued research and development to deliver on these four significant enhancements to the CIDEC product family," said Peter Slocum, vice president of engineering at Cylink. "Financial institutions, telecommunications companies, multi-national corporations and government agencies can continue to place their complete faith in Cylink to secure their valuable information assets."

The new features are in the CIDEC-LSi, a low-speed encryptor (256kbs); the CIDEC-MS, a medium-speed encryptor (768kbs); the CIDEC-LSP, a low-speed encryption card; and the CIDEC-MSP, a medium-speed encryption card. Also, by incorporating Triple-DES into its CIDEC HSi, Cylink became the first vendor to offer this capability in a high-speed (2Mbps) encryptor.

Triple-DES Provides Enhanced Security, Flexibility, and Performance

Triple-DES is based on DES, which has been a highly reliable standard for network and information security for the past 20 years. Triple-DES provides enhanced security through three keys (168 total bits) in the encryption process. Decryption also requires three separate DES keys.

With this industrial-strength security in the enhanced algorithm, brute force attacks will no longer be practical or feasible because CIDEC products can generate new keys to encrypt information as often as needed to meet the user's specifications. In addition, the Triple-DES option offers higher levels of network security without affecting network performance and throughput.

Support for Financial Industry Key Management

CIDEC Release 3.00 now supports ANSI X9.42, public-key cryptography for financial institutions. It strengthens security through the further randomization of secret key numbers generated by the Diffie-Hellman public key technique. The more sophisticated key generation and management algorithms secure financial information as it traverses a private or public network.

1024-bit Public Keys

CIDEC Release 3.00 incorporates increased complexity for performing discrete algorithms on larger bit keys. As the foundation for Cylink's products, the Diffie-Hellman process embeds larger public keys of up to 1024 bits, requiring more extensive resources to crack than 512-bit and 768-bit public keys.

Based On the Royalty-Free Diffie-Hellman Standard The CIDEC family features automatic key management based on Diffie-Hellman public-key technology, which eliminates the need for manual key distribution, the most expensive and vulnerable aspect of data security. Diffie-Hellman is used by Fortune 500 companies, multinational financial institutions and many international government agencies.

Pricing and Availability

CIDEC Release 3.00 is available immediately to new and existing customers. The Triple-DES option is available at a starting price of US$250 per unit when factory installed. Contact Cylink at 1-800-600-585 for the latest pricing information. The CIDEC products cover the widest range of applications at speeds ranging from 1200 bps to 45Mbps asynchronous transfer mode (ATM).

About Cylink Corp.

Cylink Corporation, and its wholly owned subsidiary, Algorithmic Research, are leading providers of network information security solutions and wireless communications. Their security products enable secure transmission of data over networks, including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs) and public packet switched networks, such as the Internet.

Cylink serves Fortune 500 companies, multinational financial institutions, and many international government agencies. For additional product or investor information, visit Cylink's Web site at http://www.cylink.com . -0-

Except for the historical information contained herein, matters discussed in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results could be materially different. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Cylink's opportunities with CIDEC Release 3.00.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ include U.S. export policy and pending legislation, an unexpected decrease or cancellation of orders and the possible introduction of new technologies and other risk factors listed from time to time in the company's SEC reports, including but not limited to the report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996, and its reports on Forms 10-Q and the Annual Report to shareholders. -0-

Note to Editors: CIDEC is a registered trademark of Cylink Corp.

CONTACT: Cylink Corporation

Gene Carozza, 408/328-5175

[e-mail]

or

Edelman Public Relations Worldwide

Stephen Berger/April Rassa, 415/968-4033

[e-mail] / [e-mail]