NETSCAPE GRANTED APPROVAL BY U.S. GOVERNMENT TO DISTRIBUTE HIGHLY SECURE VERSIONS OF NETSCAPE PRODUCTS ON THE INTERNET
NETSCAPE PUBLISHES SECURITY WHITE PAPER
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (July 16, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NSCP) today announced the United States government has granted the company permission to download the highly secure versions of its popular Netscape Navigator Internet client software and Netscape servers to its U.S. customers. Netscape believes it is the first company to receive official government approval to electronically download export-controlled software, and Netscape Navigator and Netscape FastTrack Server are the only software products available for approved Internet distribution with RC4 128-bit security.
Many leading companies including Apple Computer, Hewlett-Packard, JavaSoft, RSA Data Security, Security First Network Bank, Verisign, and Wells Fargo Bank see this as a crucial step in accelerating the availability of quality services on the Internet and intranets.
"Electronic commerce is not just catalog shopping on the Internet," said Jim Bidzos, president of RSA Data Security. "Online services involving consumer privacy, such as banking, demand the strongest possible encryption, and without it the full potential of the Internet cannot be realized. Today's breakthrough announcement from Netscape and its partners ensures that encryption capable of inspiring both business and consumer confidence is widely available, and available today."
Netscape popularized electronic distribution of Internet software when it first began distributing beta versions of its software on the Internet in October 1994. Since that time, other companies have begun to take advantage of the Internet as a new channel for delivering products to users. The RC4 128-bit encryption technology has been available in commercial versions of Netscape Navigator products since May 1995. Due to U.S. government export regulations, however, downloadable versions of Netscape Navigator products have always incorporated RC4 40-bit, a more restricted level of encryption technology.
In addition, Netscape today published "Securing Communications on the Intranet and Over the Internet," a white paper written by Taher Elgamal, Netscape's chief scientist; Jeff Treuhaft, Netscape's director of security; and Frank Chen, product manager, security. The white paper outlines the company's vision for a common security foundation for the Internet and intranets, and is available now on Netscape's Internet site.
Netscape software products incorporate public key/private key encryption from RSA Data Security. U.S. versions of Netscape Navigator 3.0 beta software and Netscape FastTrack Server software now support the following cryptographic algorithms or key lengths: RC2 40-bit, RC2 128-bit, RC4 40-bit, RC4 128-bit, DES 56-bit and DES3 168-bit. The larger key size of 128 bits makes it exponentially more difficult to decrypt messages with current or foreseeable computer technology. RC4 128-bit encryption, for example, is 288 times harder to decrypt than RC4 40-bit encryption. The computer power required to decrypt a message on the Internet with RC4 128-bit encryption would be 309,485,009,821,345,068,724,781,056 times greater than that required to decrypt a RC4 40-bit message. International versions of Netscape Navigator incorporate the RC4 algorithm and are limited to a 40-bit key as required by the U.S. government.
"This new ability to distribute Netscape Navigator and Netscape server products with 128-bit security over the Internet means that more people will have access to stronger and more secure communications than ever before," said Marc Andreessen, senior vice president of technology at Netscape. "This stronger security will help to accelerate the adoption of the Internet as a medium for online communication and commerce, and will also enable the deployment of controlled applications and sensitive information on corporate intranets."
Netscape Navigator uses RC4 128-bit encryption and other ciphers with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), an open security protocol for protecting data communications across public networks. Netscape designed the SSL protocol to provide the essential technology for securing a wide range of commercial and enterprisewide applications, and provides a straightforward method for adding strong security features to existing applications and network infrastructures. SSL is application protocol-independent and provides encryption, which creates a secured channel to prevent others from tapping into the network; authentication, which uses certificates and digital signatures to verify the identity of parties in information exchanges and transactions; and message integrity, which ensures that messages cannot be altered en route. SSL has an option for RC4 40-bit encryption to comply with the requirements of the U.S. government for exportable versions of Netscape products.
"We are very happy to be able to offer U.S. customers easy access to these new levels of security," said Mike Homer, senior vice president of marketing at Netscape. "The interest we've seen in 128-bit products both domestically and abroad demonstrates the need for the U.S. government to change current restrictions on 40-bit keys and allow stronger security to be exported in products such as Netscape Navigator so that U.S. companies can better compete in the global marketplace."
Netscape Navigator is available for all popular desktop environments and provides a powerful platform for navigating and communicating over the Internet, offering high performance and advanced security through point-and-click network navigation. It is optimized to run smoothly over 14.4-kilobit-per-second modems as well as higher bandwidth lines. Netscape Navigator provides a common feature set and graphical user interface across computers running the Microsoft Windows, Macintosh and X Window System operating environments.
Netscape products with RC4 128-bit encryption can be downloaded immediately. Users must submit information that determines their eligibility before they will be allowed to download the software. Users can also purchase supported, licensed copies of Netscape Navigator directly from Netscape, through Netscape's online store, or from a Netscape authorized reseller. Pricing starts at $49, which includes a 90-day warranty and customer support. Volume discounts are available for multiple user licenses. Netscape Navigator Personal Edition 2.0 with RC4 128-bit encryption can be purchased at retail stores across the country or directly from Netscape.
Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of Netscape Navigator clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.
Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the
Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com, or by
calling 415/937-2555 (corporate customers) or 415/937-3777 (individuals).
Netscape, the Netscape Communications Corporation logo, Netscape Navigator, and
Netscape FastTrack Server are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation. All
other product names are trademarks of their respective companies.