F-Secure Partners with Cisco Systems and iD2 for a European Security Solution

RSA Security Conference, MUNICH, 12th April 2000 - F-Secure Corporation (formerly Data Fellows), a leading provider of security for mobile, distributed enterprises, today announced that it will partner with Cisco Systems and privately-held iD2 Technologies to build a European VPN solution. This solution will provide customers of the three companies with a completely functional Smart Card-enabled VPN solution with centralized policy based management and integrated PKI technology.

"F-Secure is a strong European security player, and we are happy to work with strong partners to provide a complete European solution," says Risto Siilasmaa, CEO and president of F-Secure Corporation. "Now we can provide a comprehensive security offering on the desktop, including policy based management, Smart Card and PKI support, and compatibility with the Wide Area Network infrastructure."

F-Secure and iD2 build on Cisco's SCEP (Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol) support to be able to integrate into Cisco's VPN Infrastructure. "F-Secure VPN+ can also be complemented with compatible virus protection and other F-Secure security applications, all under single policy based management," continued Siilasmaa.

As the first implementation, F-Secure announced a new Security as a Service™ partnership with the Italian Security Service Provider Communication Valley. "F-Secure has a powerful VPN client implementation that we are planning to roll out as a key component of our new Cisco-based VPN service," says Ivan Pastorini, Managing Director of Communication Valley.

"For large organisations, using Smart Cards within a VPN is an extremely flexible and manageable approach. Not only do Smart Cards combine high security with ease of use, but network administrators have complete control over user access privileges by quickly revoking expired or withdrawn cards," explains Rain Eriksoo, director of marketing at iD2 Technologies. "Together with our experience and standards-based solutions, a partnership with Cisco and F-Secure is a very powerful proposition."