F-Secure Launches World Premier Security Services Company

Espoo, Finland - August 15, 2000

F-Secure, a leading developer of centrally managed security solutions for the mobile, distributed enterprise, today announced the creation of a wholly owned subsidiary, F-Secure Online Solutions. In response to strong market demand for security services, F-Secure Online Solutions helps to fill the knowledge gap between demanding customer environments and service providers, enabling much faster rollout and time-to-market for new security services. The group will be the world's premier wholesaler of managed security services to and through service providers.

"Demand for managed security services in the industry, and specifically from our existing customers, positions F-Secure Online Solutions in a very attractive global market segment," said Risto Siilasmaa, President and CEO of the F-Secure Group. "Our security portfolio and existing know-how will be a major leverage point for the new company."

Siilasmaa announced the appointment of Kimmo Alkio as CEO of the new company. Mr. Alkio joins the company from Compaq Computer, where he was responsible for Compaq's European Service Provider business unit. During his 13 years with Compaq he has also managed the European Infrastructure Services business for the company.

"Kimmo brings with him a wealth of experience, global industry knowledge, and customer relationships in the Service Provider market," said Siilasmaa. "He has demonstrated all the elements necessary to launch and run a global services business, and we are delighted to welcome him aboard."

The new company will be headquartered in the Helsinki area where the parent company is located. A press and analyst briefing will be arranged on September 26.

Mr. Alkio said, "F-Secure Online Solutions is uniquely positioned to support service providers in delivering industry leading security solutions to end-customers. The rapid emergence of service providers that remove the resource burden for traditional IT departments, coupled with new security solutions in the mobile and distributed computing environments, has created tremendous pent-up demand for F-Secure Online Solutions."

Service Providers are actively leading the convergence of data and telecommunications in the IT market. According to Gartner's Dataquest, the Application Service Provider market is expected to grow from around $3b in 1999 to more than $23b in 2003. Security solutions are an integral component of the service providers' offering both to consumers and enterprise customers.

"We believe there is strong worldwide demand for managed security solutions, not only for the traditional PC based internet, but also in the rapidly emerging mobile e-services world. At HP we are very happy to collaborate with F-Secure on this exciting new venture as the vision of Security as a ServiceTM is very much in line with our e-services strategy. By joining forces we will be able to deploy secure mobile e-services everywhere," says Peter Vesterbacka, Business Development Manager, HP Mobile E-Services Bazaar.

"An arsenal of world-renowned products is necessary to launch a successful service in such a competitive industry today", continued Alkio. "The F-Secure Online Solutions team has used and helped implement scores of enterprise systems whose very survival depend on the reliability of F-Secure's robust solutions. Now that F-Secure is making these products available through its own services subsidiary, the company is uniquely positioned to help service providers quickly offer world-class security to their end-users."

The new subsidiary will boost F-Secure Group's Security as a ServiceTM market penetration, representing the world's premier wholesaler of managed security services with a global focus. The services will be based on the Group's existing product offering as well as selected third party products.