Rainbow Technologies, Consumer Direct Link -CDL- and Acer Partner to Develop Secure Bluetooth-Based Financial Services and Retail Solutions.

Business Editors and High-Tech Writers

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 20, 2000

Companies Will Use CDL's BluePoint and BlueZone Technology With

Rainbow's VPN Encryption Solutions

Rainbow Technologies Inc.(TM)(Nasdaq:RNBO), a leading provider of high-performance security solutions for the Internet and e-commerce, Monday announced an agreement to partner with Consumer Direct Link Inc. (CDL) and Acer Inc., to jointly develop secure Bluetooth-based solutions for the financial services and retail markets.

Under terms of the agreement, the companies will develop BluePoint(TM) and BlueZone(TM) Access Controllers with Rainbow's Virtual Private Network (VPN) encryption technology.

The BluePoint and BlueZone Access Controllers are used to establish Blue Zones for CDL's Secure Pervasive Computing Networks (sPCN). These mobile e-commerce networks will allow customers to access their private information and perform secure, trusted financial transactions anywhere, anytime.

The sPCN technology is based on Bluetooth wireless consumer touch-point devices, access points and access controllers connected to a secure back-end portal. This solution can personalize information for every user and perform secure financial transactions with vertical business partners. Blue Zones are seamless, secure wireless Bluetooth zones that provide users with access to m-commerce services.

Blue Zones consist of distributed BluePoint controllers, networked to BlueZone controllers that have connections back to CDL's back-end 3PSystems(TM).

"CDL's innovative Bluetooth-based network strategy is an ideal match for Rainbow's NetSwift family of secure VPN server products," said Walt Straub, president and chief executive officer, Rainbow Technologies. "Our work together with CDL and Acer makes the promise of anywhere, anytime and always-secure transactions closer to reality."

"The BluePoint and BlueZone access controllers will establish the infrastructure for the Secure Pervasive Computing Networks' last-mile Bluetooth wireless connections," said Dr. Cuong Do, chief executive officer and chief technology officer, Consumer Direct Link.

"Through this partnership with Acer for the hardware technologies, Rainbow for the security solutions and CDL for Bluetooth software and back-end systems, we will create a Bluetooth infrastructure, comparable to cellular telephone networks, that is free to consumers. BluePoints will become the secure gateway and information escrow for the e-address of homes."

"Failure to secure Internet electronic commerce and mobile devices is becoming an expensive and high-profile problem as gigabytes of valuable corporate and personal data are transferred to portable technologies," said Dixon Cheng, president, PC and Internet appliance business unit, Acer. "Security and confidentiality of data in personalized, pervasive computing are our top priorities."

Rainbow Technologies' VPN solutions deliver security protocol acceleration capabilities to OEMs who manufacture firewalls, routers, switches and other network devices. By incorporating these products, an OEM's network product can perform security protocols (such as IPSec/IKE, L2TP, PPTP, SSL/TLS, WAP/WTLS, SET, L2F, or PPP and others) at line speeds up to OC3 data rates (155Mb/s).

About Rainbow Technologies

Founded in 1984, Rainbow Technologies is a leading provider of security solutions for the Internet and e-commerce. Rainbow applies its core technology to a variety of Internet applications -- from securing software, to the acceleration of secure communication for e-commerce and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).

Rainbow's products include secure Web server and VPN acceleration boards; anti-piracy and Internet software distribution solutions; PKI security solutions; voice, data and satellite security systems; and USB-based authentication tokens.

The company has headquarters in Irvine and maintains offices throughout the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, China, The Netherlands, Russia, India and Taiwan. A network of nearly 80 authorized distributors sells Rainbow products worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.rainbow.com.

About Consumer Direct Link

With headquarters in Irvine, Consumer Direct Link is a pioneer in Pervasive Computing Networks. Backed by its experience, innovation and secure solutions, CDL designs, develops and delivers an integrated suite of mobile devices, security chipsets and enterprise applications for conducting mobile commerce interactions and transactions anytime, anywhere.

The company's products, combined with world-class professional services and partner technologies, provide a secure transportation link between consumer and vertical business partners. CDL focuses on pervasive computing solutions that give businesses the ability to extend their reach to customers, partners and suppliers via a continuously available environment for use globally.

Consumer Direct Link was founded in 2000 and has a presence in North America, Asia and Europe. For information, visit the company's Web site at www.cdlusa.com.

About Acer Inc.

Established in 1976, Acer is the world's third-largest PC manufacturer, offering a broad range of PC products from industry-leading high-end PC servers and multimedia desktop computers, to notebooks, computer peripherals and components. Acer is also the leading Internet-enabler, providing Internet component technologies, devices and services.

These include end-to-end solutions, mobile phones, plasma displays, TFT screens, projectors, wireless communications and e-corp solutions.

The Acer Group employs nearly 13,000 people worldwide, supporting dealers and distributors in more than 100 countries. For more information about Acer, visit its Web site at http://www.acer.com/.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other materials filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by the company) contain statements relating to the following: dependence upon existing and new product offerings, competition, intellectual property and licensing, future growth, rapid technological and market change, manufacturing and sourcing risks, Internet infrastructure and regulation, the inclusion of network security functionality in hardware or system software, international operations, among others. These conditions involve important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the company. Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and, as such, speak only as of the date made. Statements made in this document that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements as to beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. The company assumes no obligation to update information concerning its expectations.

Note to Editors: Rainbow Technologies and NetSwift are trademarks of Rainbow Technologies. All other company names, products and technologies are trademarks of their respective organizations.