Vasco and Realm Internet Systems announce a joint-marketing agreement to provide extended user authentication and PC security for Internet users

Business Wire, August 7, 1995

LOMBARD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 7, 1995--VASCO Corp. (VASCO) announced Monday that its subsidiary, VASCO Data Security Inc. (VDSI) has signed a joint-marketing and development agreement with REALM Internet Systems (REALM), an Orange County, California Internet Access Service Provider.

REALM has recognized the need to provide its customers with security solutions to protect both users' Internet accounts as well as users' personal computers while connected to the public Internet.

REALM and VDSI will work together to bring security solutions and secure transactions to Internet users. Key projects include joint promotions on VDSI's HackerGuard(TM) data security product, and development of access services and interfaces which enable VDSI's Access Key II(TM) to be used positively authenticate Internet users.

Chip Parker, Realm's director of marketing, said, "Security issues on the Internet are big, now, however, the immediate future will bring advanced challenges to the forefront for Internet users. Therefore, Realm has spent the last year identifying what we believe is the most advanced on-line security company in the world to create systems security solutions to our users."

John Haggard, VDSI's president, said, "We believe strongly that users of public networks, such as the Internet, are at risk. The first risk users face is the disclosure of their passwords used to access their Internet accounts.

"Most likely users reuse their passwords to access other more critical networks such as their corporate accounts and the risks are obvious if Internet passwords are disclosed. Use of one time password generators such as the Access Key II successfully eliminates this risk for both the users and their corporations."

Haggard added, "The second and less obvious risk is the use of advanced telecommunications protocols such as TCP/IP to connect users' PCs to the Internet. When connected to the Internet user's PCs are vulnerable to being attacked and therefore must be protected. HackerGuard can secure PCs' resources such as directories on users' hard drives while users are connected to the Internet. The only sure way for private users to trust the Internet is to secure their PCs."

As part of the agreement, VSDI will be offering to each REALM account holder a free licensed copy of HackerGuard. Details of this promotion can be found on both VDSI and REALM homespages: http://www.vdsi.com and http://www.realm.net, respectively.

Realm is an advanced Internet access provider formed in April 1993. Realm's philosophy is of customer service and strategic positioning. Realm has spent the last 18 months creating strategic alliances with global industry leaders specifically in the field of security, training, education, consulting and electronic commerce, therefore being positioned to respond to the needs of the consumer. "Customer service and capacity planning are everything," Parker said.

VASCO and VDSI improve the productivity and profitability of their clients through consulting, training and the intelligent application of technology. VDSI designs, develops and markets a family of hardware and software security products used to manage and protect access to a wide-range of computer-based information resources.

VDSI's patented and proprietary products provide computer security, Extended User Authentication (EUA), and virus protection for financial institutions, industry and government.

VASCO Corp.'s stock is traded on the Electronic Bulletin Board market system with the symbol VASC.

CONTACT: VASCO Corp., Lombard

John Haggard, 708/932-8844

fax: 708/495-0279

jch@vdsi.com (e-mail)

or

REALM Internet Systems, Newport Beach, Calif.

Chip Parker, 714/261-1116

fax: 714/261-0787

parker@realm.net (e-mail)