Data Fellows Responds to Clinton Administration's Ease On US Export Controls On Encryption Software.

ESPOO, Finland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 22, 1999--

Data Fellows, one of the world's leading developers of anti-virus and encryption software, has greeted with excitement the news that the Clinton Administration will soon support the simplification of US export controls on encryption software.

This is extremely good news for companies around the world, who have been confused about the importance of encryption as a security tool, and may therefore have settled for security that is less than optimal.

Until now, many US vendors have been allowed to sell strong encryption products only inside the US, as export of such products from the US was forbidden. Such restrictions have sent mixed messages to the world's markets about the importance of strong encryption, even as the US market for such software continued to grow.

Now, by easing restrictions, a clear message is sent to the world's markets that strong encryption can and should play a vital role in corporate environments around the world.

Data Fellows as a Finnish company already enjoys a leadership position both in the US and worldwide for encryption products, since the company has not been subject to the export restrictions of US companies.

"According to IDC, Data Fellows owns some 10% of the worldwide market for encryption products, and has been able to achieve a strong position in the competitive US market," said Risto Siilasmaa, president of Data Fellows.

"The recent announcement by the Clinton Administration can only strengthen our position, since the focus will now shift to product functionality and vendor credibility, areas in which F-Secure shines."

"It is well known that strong encryption per se is not a synonym for bullet-proof security," added Siilasmaa.

"A long key is necessary, but not sufficient to guarantee strong security; rather, the total solution integrity: The algorithms used, the underlying management framework, end-user transparency, etc. are of paramount importance. In addition, when dealing with security related solutions, vendor credibility is of the utmost importance as well."

Data Fellows offers a fully integrated solution for all the security needs of a corporation. F-Secure Framework is the only solution available today that provides policy-based management for distributed security solutions, including strong cryptography.

Competing management architectures are only usable for managing security in gateways, whereas The F-Secure Framework takes policy-based centralized management to each workstation, server, remote system and gateway in the organization.

About Data Fellows

Data Fellows is one of the world's leading developers of data security products. The award-winning, integrated F-Secure product line, based on the F-Secure Framework architecture, has a full range of anti-virus products for workstations, servers and gateways.

It includes globally available, full encryption-strength IPSec/IKE-based software for intranet, extranet and remote access VPN applications, as well as real-time desktop file encryption software and SSH-based secure remote management software.

Data Fellows is privately owned. The company offers a worldwide network of distribution, technical support and training from over 80 countries. Last fall, Red Herring Magazine chose Data Fellows as one of the 100 best technology companies in the world. Data Fellows is a Dun & Bradstreet triple-A rated company.