IP: two press announcements (edited) @Home and netscape/Fortezza

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

PALO ALTO, California - September 25, 1995 - @Home=81, a joint
venture between TCI Technology Ventures, Inc., a subsidiary of
Tele-Communications, Inc., and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers,
announced today the company has established a strategic
partnership with Netscape Communications Corporation to define
cable-based Internet services to the home.  As part of the new
relationship, @Home will license Netscape's client and server
software to be used as the foundation for the @Home network, a
high-speed broadband solution providing Internet access to
personal computers via cable.




@Home will deploy this technology throughout its network -
facilitating such Internet features as local content and
advertising. Additionally, @Home and Netscape will work together
to develop a customized version of the popular Netscape
Navigator=81 client software to be included with the @Home
service.


The key benefit of @Home's service will be the speed with which
information is transported from the network to the consumer.  It
is estimated that the transmission will be more than 500 times
faster than current Internet access offerings.  Increased speed
of transmission will enable users to access on-line information,
graphics and video faster than ever before.  The @Home network,
to be deployed in select regions beginning in early 1996, will
offer consumers access to existing content on the Internet, as
well as unique local content.


@Home's web site at http://www.home.net






and






Netscape to Offer Fortezza Cryptographic Capability for
Its Software Products


Underscores Company's Commitment to US Government Market




Mountain View, Calif., Oct. 10 -- Netscape Communications
Corporation announced today its intent to support the
Fortezza security card, a security technology based on US
government standard cryptography, as a low-cost upgrade
capability for its Netscape Navigator(TM) client software
and other Netscape products. The new capability will
enhance Netscape's offerings for the US government market
and enable the company to provide increased support for
security services for World Wide Web-based tools and
technology.


Developed by the National Security Agency, Fortezza PC
card technology provides strong authentication and
encryption services using US government standard
cryptography, implemented in an industry-standard PCMCIA
security token.  Fortezza PC cards are being used in the
Defense Message System (DMS), a new Department of Defense
electronic messaging system; Intelink, the new US
Government Intelligence Community search system based on
Web technology, and in a number of other government
systems.


...


Netscape expects to work with information security
specialist Litronic Industries and others regarding the
development, integration and support of the Fortezza
cryptographic interface.  Litronic provides technical
expertise for the implementation of Fortezza libraries
and drivers on a wide variety of platforms.
California-based Litronic Industries designs,
manufactures and markets information security products
used to secure applications and data transmissions
through the use of encryption technology.


Support for Fortezza has been added to Netscape's Secure
Sockets Layer (SSL) open protocol.  SSL provides a
straightforward method for adding strong security 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.  Netscape will
upgrade Netscape Navigator and other Netscape products to
support the use of Fortezza with SSL as an enhanced
alternative to software-based cryptographic mechanisms.