Entrust Technologies Forms Strategic Alliance with HP to Deliver Secure Internet-Ready Applications for Mid-Size Businesses

Business Wire, Oct 21, 1998

RICHARDSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Entrust to Join HP Covision Program, a Select Group of Leading-Edge Internet Technology Partners

Entrust Technologies (Nasdaq:ENTU), the worldwide leader in managed public-key infrastructure (PKI) and digital certificate technology, announced today that it has been selected to join Hewlett-Packard Company's Covision Program, a select group of Internet application providers and channel partners whose leading-edge technologies or services will be bundled with HP technology and Internet services to provide businesses with complete Internet solutions ranging from secure electronic commerce to intranet applications.

As a Covision partner, Entrust gains access to over 29 select Covision channel partners in North America as well as HP's enterprise sales force to sell Windows NT-based solutions. Through this partnering, Entrust expands its market reach to include mid-tier businesses. These Internet-ready channel partners will complement the strength of Entrust's direct sales team in enabling more companies to participate securely in the growing digital economy.

"Electronic security is an issue for corporations of all sizes, because it is the cornerstone of electronic commerce," said John Ryan, president and CEO of Entrust Technologies Inc. "We are excited to have been chosen as one of HP's select application partners to help corporations, large and small, securely harness the power of the Internet."

HP Covision's partners deliver solutions in five categories that include control/security, content, communication, collaboration and commerce. Entrust is one of 19 select vendors -- such as Check Point, Internet Dynamics, NetScreen, Vital Signs, and Whistle Communications -- who make up the Control/Security group. Entrust is the first public-key infrastructure technology vendor to be selected into this group.

"Entrust's innovative technology complements our own in helping customers deploy top-of-the-line, secure Internet-ready applications," said Greg Mihran, manager of business development for HP's Commercial Channels Organization.

Covision channel and application partner participants can partner to provide Covision bundled solutions. Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq:CHKPF) and Entrust are taking advantage of their existing partnership to deliver an integrated solution to Covision customers. This solution, Check Point(tm) VPN-1(tm) Certificate Manager, integrates the Entrust/Alliance PKI with Check Point's VPN-1 product family of VPN solutions. VPN-1 Certificate Manager gives mid-tier customers broader access to this easy-to-use security solution and is available through Check Point's distribution channels.

"We are pleased to be working with Entrust to provide HP Covision customers with a turn-key PKI solution," said Asheem Chandna, vice president of marketing and business development, Check Point Software Technologies, Inc. "PKI and digital certificate technology is an important component of a secure, scaleable virtual private network."

Entrust's ongoing work with VeriFone, Inc. towards interoperability based on the SET Secure Electronic Transaction protocol will also be complemented through HP's Covision channel program.

"We have already established an excellent working relationship with Entrust to ensure that versions of Entrust's SET-based products are interoperable with the full suite of VeriFone applications according to SET specifications," said Elizabeth Ames, general manager of VeriFone's Internet Merchant Group. "The HP Covision program gives us another great opportunity to continue working with Entrust on focused initiatives for secure Internet payment."

Public-key infrastructures provide corporations with a single security infrastructure to manage digital certificates, the equivalent of electronic passports, used to secure and enable electronic communications and transactions. Already Entrust has over 600 corporate clients using its PKI solutions including Federal Express, J.P. Morgan, NASA, Salomon Smith Barney, S.W.I.F.T., Royal Mail/UK Post and the Canadian Government.

About Entrust Technologies

Entrust Technologies Inc. develops, markets and sells products and services that allow enterprises to manage trusted, secure electronic communications and transactions over today's advanced networks, including the Internet, extranets and intranets.

The Entrust solution automates the management of digital certificates, which are similar to electronic passports, through public-key infrastructure (PKI) technology designed to assure the privacy and authenticity of internal and external communications. The Entrust PKI is an integrated, open and scaleable software framework that operates across multiple platforms, network devices and applications, including e-mail, browsers, electronic commerce, electronic forms, remote access and other product offerings from leading vendors. The first Entrust product suite was released in 1994, and has since been licensed for use in global enterprises, government entities and financial institutions. In addition, over three million Entrust certificates have been issued to date for use by the Company's customers. Entrust Technologies is headquartered in Richardson, Texas with offices in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, St. Louis, Raleigh, Washington, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, London, UK and Frankfurt. For additional company information please visit www.entrust.com.