Certicom Introduces Unique Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem Instruction To Its Web-Based Security Classroom; Security Experts Increase ECC Content in Response to Market Demand for Information on High Efficiency Security System

Business Wire, Oct 1, 1996

TORONTO, Canada--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 1, 1996--Certicom Corp. "Certicom" (CDN:CERT), announced today that it has launched new information about its leading edge Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem (ECC) on the Information Security Classroom section of its web site (www.certicom.ca). A special feature of the section is a Java applet which allows the user to select points and draw elliptic curves.

Certicom's Information Security Classroom was designed to instruct readers of various backgrounds on the facets of information security technology, explaining key concepts such as public-key cryptography and digital signatures. The new additions to the classroom are in response to demand Certicom has received from computer and communications firms, government agencies, media and industry analysts for more detailed information on the next generation of public-key cryptography, ECC.

"An important part of our strategy is to educate the market on all aspects of our core technology so that the benefits ECC brings to securing computing and communications products can be fully understood by our key audiences," said Gary Hughes, Certicom's president and CEO. "We are always finding new ways to provide this information and the majority of traffic on our web site is from people looking for information on ECC. It is only logical that we use the tools of the world wide web to teach people about the strength and efficiency of ECC."

Certicom will continually add information to the classroom and update the web site about ECC technology, including the cryptographic components which the company is developing to allow third party developers to integrate ECC into their products and applications. In addition to information found in the classroom, the web site has an entire section devoted to ECC and Standards Activities. Within this section there is a hyperlink into the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) web site where a reader can download the latest draft of IEEE P1363, the Standard for Public-Key Cryptography. Certicom wrote the Elliptic Curve section of this draft standard.

The Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem is the world's most efficient public-key system. ECC has the highest strength per bit of any known public-key system, minimizing the requirement for large key sizes. Cryptographic processes based on ECC provide efficient computation techniques which reduce communications and computation time, thereby substantially reducing costs. ECC is ideally suited to environments which are challenging to secure such as wireless communications, smart cards, and high volume web servers.

Certicom is a developer of information security products and cryptographic technologies and is the leader in implementations of the Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem, the world's most efficient public-key technology. The company specializes in applications where the combination of cryptographic strength and high efficiency are critical. Certicom's primary markets are in wireless communications, smart cards, banking and electronic commerce over the Internet. Certicom shares are quoted on the Canadian Dealing Network under the symbol "CERT."

CONTACT: Certicom Corp.

Jennifer Vancini, 905/507-4220

jvancini@certicom.ca

OR

Miller/Shandwick Technologies

Anne Gowan/Sheri Dupart, 415/962-9550

agowan@miller.shandwick.com

sdupart@miller.shandwick.com