High-Grade Encryption Browser In 23 Languages Enhances Secure Internet Shopping And E-Commerce For Netscape International Customers

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (January 24, 2000) - Netscape Communications, a subsidiary of America Online, Inc. (NYSE: AOL), today announced that international users of Netscape Communicator client software can benefit from high-grade encryption, providing enhanced security for online shopping, banking, trading and email. Netscape expressed its support for the US Department of Commerce's newly released encryption regulations that enable the worldwide distribution of high-grade encryption. Previously, due to encryption export restrictions, customers were limited to medium-grade (56-bit) or low-grade (40-bit) encryption browser software outside of North America. Now, customers can use high-grade (128-bit) encryption browsers, making online shopping a safer experience and allowing online banking and bill paying on Web sites requiring 128-bit encryption. Upgrading to 128-bit security also allows Netscape Communicator users to improve the security and authenticity of their encrypted emails. Users can download the latest high-grade encryption non-US English browsers for free at http://home.netscape.com/download or order the free software on CD for a nominal shipping charge by accessing http://cd.netscape.com/ on Netscape Netcenter. Users of the medium-grade encryption US-English version of Communicator 4.7 can quickly upgrade to high-grade encryption by visiting the Netscape SmartUpdate service at http://home.netscape.com/smartupdate.

"By providing international users with strong encryption Communicator browser software in 23 languages, Netscape is contributing to global online security and helping to increase users' confidence in e-commerce worldwide," said Jim Martin, senior vice president and general manager of Netscape Netcenter. "Netscape has continuously provided its users with the highest level of encryption allowed under law. We're delighted to be able to now offer enhanced security, promoting secure global communications and fueling the growth of electronic commerce on the Internet internationally."

According to recent studies by Jupiter Research and others, security remains the number one concern for users conducting transactions over the Internet, particularly in Europe and Asia. Netscape is addressing this concern by giving over 200 million Internet users in 125 countries the opportunity to use Communicator in their native languages with high-grade encryption. 128-bit encryption provides a significantly greater amount of cryptographic protection than 56-bit encryption. Someone trying to decode a 56-bit encrypted message must find the right key out of billions of possible choices -- an extremely difficult task. 128-bit encryption makes interception even less likely, by providing 4.7 billion trillion times as many keys as does 56-bit encryption.

Netscape Communicator is available worldwide with high-grade encryption in the following 23 languages: US English, UK English, French, German, Japanese, Danish, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Russian, Polish, Czech, Greek, Hungarian, Turkish and Slovenian.

About Netscape

Netscape is a leading provider of software and services for businesses that want to transform the way they create and keep customers in the emerging Net Economy. A division of America Online, Inc., Netscape is based in Mountain View, California. Additional information on Netscape is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com by sending email to info@netscape.com, or by calling corporate sales at 650-937-2555.