SSH, Hifn Broaden Strategic Partnership for High-Speed Security Solutions.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

NetWorld+Interop

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 11, 2001

SSH Communications Security (HEX:SSH1V), a world-leading developer of Internet security technologies, and world-leading network security and flow classification specialist Hifn(TM) (Nasdaq:HIFN), today expanded their long-term strategic partnership to provide interoperability between SSH's award-winning SSH IPSEC Express(TM) and IPSEC ApplianceO toolkits and Hifn's HSP (Hifn Security Platform), a unique collection of hardware and software that provide a full security reference solution.

HSP presents a uniform software interface to host computers, routers and other high-performance networking equipment, regardless of the capabilities of the underlying hardware. With HSP, manufacturers can benefit from advances in security processor performance, without investing significant software engineering resources. HSP includes a variety of protocol modules, covering the most widely used VPN (Virtual Private Network) protocols -- IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) and PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol). An easily programmable asynchronous API (Application Program Interface) simplifies HSP's integration into customers' network access products.

SSH's IPSec technology will interface with a broader range of Hifn's security processors via Hifn's HSP API, including the 7851 HIPP (Hifn Intelligent Packet Processing) Security Processor. The 7851, high-performance hardware, completes packet processing with less host CPU interaction, boosting speeds up to 500Mbps. Hifn's latest HIPP products include the 7851, 7814, 7854, and 8154.

"Hifn's new HSP is the key to providing cutting-edge, high-speed security solutions. Through this software, customers are able to update and strengthen their existing security measures with little downtime and without the costly development of new software," said Chris Kenber, president and CEO of Hifn. "The increased compatibility that HSP provides allows us to interoperate with best-of-breed solutions, such as SSH's IPSec technology."

SSH's IPSec toolkits enable faster time-to-market for vendors of network products and operating systems to add scalable, easily supportable, strong security across the Internet and other IP networks, without limiting their flexibility to enable new types of business opportunities, such as secure local and global communications for e-commerce and e-banking. SSH is the leading supplier of toolkits for implementation of VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) based on the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) IPSec protocol -- the primary open standard for creation of secure and interoperable VPN products.

"Customer demand has brought SSH and Hifn closer together over this past year. As a result, SSH will now include software support options for a wider range of Hifn's hardware solutions for accelerating critical network security functions, including Hifn's latest HIPP products," said George Adams, president and CEO of SSH Communications Security, Inc. "SSH's IPSec software technology, combined with Hifn's packet processing chip products for multiple performance ranges, will provide customers with powerful network security for the widest range of product applications."

Hifn will join SSH at its booth (No. 1337) at Networld+Interop 2001, Sept. 11-13, in Atlanta.

About SSH Communications Security

Founded in 1995, SSH Communications Security is a world-leading supplier of Internet security software for demanding network security solutions. SSH provides cryptography and authentication technologies for secure Internet communications. SSH IPSEC Express(TM) is the world-leading, award-winning toolkit for IPSec (Internet Protocol Security), IKE (Internet Key Exchange) and X.509 certificate management system solutions. Since 1997, numerous Internet infrastructure providers, OEMs, and system integrators have licensed SSH IPSEC Express to incorporate high security into their products. These customers include many IT market leaders such as Compaq, Ericsson, Lucent Technologies, Nokia, and Sun Microsystems, among others. The company's award-winning SSH Secure Shell application has become the de-facto standard for secure logins with millions of users in over 80 countries. SSH is traded publicly on the Helsinki Exchange under HEX:SSH1V. For more information, please visit www.ssh.com.

About Hifn

Hifn, of Los Gatos, Calif., makes integrated circuits and software for network infrastructure developers. Hifn's integrated data flow technology and unique HIPP architecture enables intelligent secure networks with compression, encryption and application recognition. This is central to the growth of the Internet, helping to make electronic mail, Web browsing, Internet shopping and multimedia communications better, faster and more secure. Most of the major network equipment manufacturers use Hifn's patented technology to improve packet processing. Hifn was founded in 1996 and is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange under the HIFN symbol. Web: http://www.hifn.com. For more information, contact: Hifn, 750 University Avenue, Los Gatos, CA 95032. Phone: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

Forward-looking Statement Notice

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company's financial performance. These forward-looking statements are subject to the risks set forth below and actual results could vary. The specific risks include: dependency on a small number of customers, customer demand and customer ordering patterns. Orders from Hifn's customers may be below the company's current expectations. Additional risks include: risks associated with the success of Hifn's ongoing technology development efforts; Hifn's ability to successfully integrate new technology into products in a cost-effective manner; the timing of Hifn's new product introductions; intense competition in the network and storage equipment industries; and the significant uncertainty of market acceptance of Hifn's new products. These and other risks are detailed from time to time in Hifn's SEC reports as well as in Hifn's registrations statement on Form S-3. Hifn undertakes no duty to update these disclosures.

Note to Editors: Hi/fn and LZS are registered trademarks of Hi/fn(R), Inc. Hifn is a trademark of Hi/fn, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.