First UTM Appliance with Integrated E-mail Encryption

Astaro and Utimaco launch professional gateway encryption for SMEs.

London and Karlsruhe/Oberursel (Germany) – 6th February 2006 - The Astaro Corporation (www.astaro.co.uk), a leader in providing unified threat management security solutions, and Utimaco Safeware AG (www.utimaco.com ), one of the leading suppliers of data security solutions, have announced that they have entered into a broad technology collaboration agreement with the aim of developing new security solutions. As the result of this cooperation, both companies will launch the first unified threat management (UTM) appliance integrating strong encryption and digital signature mechanisms based on the S/MIME and OpenPGP industry standards. The new UTM appliance will target small and medium-sized companies demanding professional encryption for company-wide use without the complexity and costs of existing technologies. The two companies will reveal more technical details at Infosecurity Europe 2006, held on the 25th - 27th April 2006 in the Grand Hall, Olympia.

As part of their technical collaboration, Astaro is integrating Utimaco’s cutting-edge e-mail encryption technologies into its award-winning software, Astaro Security Gateway, which provides e-mail security, web security, and network security on a single management platform. Encryption, decryption, digital signature and verification are all featured on one central gateway solution allowing SMEs to seamlessly integrate e-mail security technologies into their existing infrastructure. Even encrypted e-mail messages are filtered by the UTM appliance’s virus and content scanners, enforcing security standards and blocking malicious applications before they can enter the organisation.

Small and medium-sized companies
As the worldwide number of e-mail messages has doubled since 2002, there is increasing demand for affordable protection against industrial espionage and cost-effective filter mechanisms in business environments.

“With this new solution, Astaro and Utimaco are combining their technological expertise,” said Jörg Horn, manager of gateway solutions at Utimaco. “This agreement will be of significant benefit to SME customers looking for easy-to-use, centralised gateway encryption instead of complicated individual solutions.”

Walter Schumann, VP sales and marketing EMEA, Astaro AG, added: “Due to legal requirements, the need for data security and the installation of secure e-mail encryption has become mandatory for SMEs. Most of the existing solutions are too complex, though, whereas a unified threat management approach provides a competitive advantage.”

Company-wide security policy
Astaro will integrate the new functionalities as part of its Astaro Security Gateway V7 software, which is scheduled for release date in Summer 2006. Astaro Security Gateway V7 offers customers the choice of activating e-mail encryption on the central gateway for all of the clients inside the network. Outgoing and incoming e-mail traffic is automatically encrypted and decrypted (via PGP or S/MIME), transparently for the selected users. Centralised security scans that eliminate virus, spam and phishing attacks enable a cost-effective and user-friendly company security policy.

About Utimaco - www.utimaco.com
Utimaco Safeware AG is one of the leading technology manufacturer of professional IT security solutions. The security technology and solutions developed by Utimaco protect the electronic data of companies and government bodies against unauthorised access and guarantee that business processes and administrative procedures in the electronic world are binding and confidential. Utimaco Safeware's Personal Device Security division supplies technologies and solutions for mobile security in the areas of high-level authentication including biometric techniques, encryption and integrity checks. Its products and solutions secure data in terminal server and Citrix environments, on the PC, notebook and PDA at the workplace, and on the move. Utimaco Safeware's Transaction Security division specialises in security solutions for e-business, e-government and e-payment based on its own technologies (telecommunications management systems, hardware security modules, gateways for e-mail security, authentication and digital signatures, Public Key Infrastructure [PKI], and PKI-enabled applications).

About Astaro - www.astaro.co.uk
Astaro develops a complete line of network security products including the Astaro Security Gateway software and Astaro Security Gateway line of security appliances. All Astaro products offer nine critical security applications in three categories - Web Security, Email Security and Network Security - fully integrated on a single management platform. The company is headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany and with facilities in Burlington, Mass.. Astaro's software has won numerous industry awards, and is protecting over 25,000 networks in 60 countries, including such organisations as EADS, Los Alamos National Labs and Stanford University. Astaro products are distributed by a worldwide network of 450 solutions partners who offer local support and services.

Press Contact
Dan Purvis, Goode International
+44 (0) 1491 873323, email: dan.purvis@goode.co.uk