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Fujitsu Components and Comodo enter into partnership to deliver next generation security chip

Kent, UK. Fujitsu Components Europe, B.V. (www.fceu.fujitsu.com), the manufacturer of quality electronic components, and Comodo (www.comodogroup.com), the Internet security specialists, announce their partnership to deliver a next generation security chip. Details of the security chip, known as the SIDEN Trust Chip, will be released over the forthcoming months, with the commercial release of the chip scheduled for Q1 2003.

The partnership sees Fujitsu Components and Comodo collaborating on the development, marketing and distribution of products containing the SIDEN Trust Chip- a market leading security chip offering unrivalled cost-effectiveness. Comodo's expertise in cryptography and integrated circuits has enabled considerable functionality to be incorporated into the security chip, whilst the cost of the chip has been dramatically reduced. As a result, the SIDEN Trust Chip offers considerable cost savings on current security chips and many other non-security commodity chips.

The cost effectiveness is achieved through Comodo's design philosophy that the chip will be integrated into devices rather than 'added on' - thereby replacing existing commodity chips with its enhanced functionality. "Replacing an existing chip with a more cost effective chip that can also provide additional security functionality makes the SIDEN Trust Chip very attractive commercially." states Henry Krumins, Sales Director with Comodo Limited.

The announcement of Q1 2003 as the release date for the chip is especially pertinent with the recent interest surrounding Microsoft's ambitious "Palladium" project. Palladium is the code name for a secure operating system that when combined with a new breed of hardware and applications, gives individuals and groups of users greater data security, personal privacy and system integrity. As the SIDEN Trust Chip can provide the hardware security functionality required for Palladium, Melih Abdulhayoglu, Chief Security Architect with the Comodo Group, views the chip as "making the Palladium dream a commercial reality".

Through its dedicated research & development lab, Comodo has quickly established itself as a leading online security services provider. Comodo has strategically partnered with some of the industry's leading technology providers for its security hardware development program. As well as hardware development, Comodo has captured considerable market share in the Certification Authority and Secure Messaging Platform market and counts various Fortune 500 companies amongst its customers. Comodo's cryptography department, headed by CHES 2003 Program Chair Dr Colin Walter, has been critical in the optimisation of the SIDEN Trust Chip security functionality.

Fujitsu Components is a leading provider of customer-focused technology and communications solutions for the global marketplace. The significant commercial opportunity of the SIDEN Trust Chip has resulted in the Fujitsu/Comodo strategic partnership for the development of the core functionality.

"Both Comodo and Fujitsu Components have recognized that hardware based security is essential for secure use of computers for both business and home users." comments Melih Abdulhayoglu, "The SIDEN Trust Chip is a unique device that not only brings unparalleled hardware based security, but by making security affordable, removes the barriers usually associated with using hardware based security."

"We are delighted to be partnering with Comodo," comments Steve Roylance, European Marketing Manager for Input Devices, Fujitsu Components Europe, "Comodo has an excellent history of innovation in both the software and hardware security industry, and Fujitsu's global presence and expert skills in new hardware development result in an ideal partnership for the development of the SIDEN Trust Chip."

Further details of the SIDEN Trust Chip product family will be available from Fujitsu's booths at Europe's largest smart card exhibition, the Cartes show, in Paris 5th - 7th November 2002 and the Electronica show in Munich 12th - 15th November 2002.

Learn more about Electronica at www.global-electronics.net and Cartes at www.cartes.com or www.itsecurityexpo.com.

For more details of the SIDEN Trust Chip, telephone + 1.888.266.6361 or + 1.703.581.6361, or visit the Comodo Home Page at http://www.comodogroup.com. For email inquiries please contact enterprisesales@comodogroup.com.

Company Information - Fujitsu Components Europe BV
Fujitsu Components Europe B.V. markets and distributes electronic components throughout Europe. Products include: relays, connectors, input and pointing devices, and thermal printers.
For further product information you could contact:
European headquarters: Fujitsu Components Europe B.V., Diamantlaan 25, 2132 WV Hoofddorp, The Netherlands, Tel. +31 23 556 0910, Fax. +31 23 556 0950, e-mail: info@fceu.fujitsu.com, website: http://www.fceu.fujitsu.com.

Fujitsu is a registered Trademark of the Fujitsu Group. Comodo and SIDEN are registered Trademarks of Comodo Group.

About Comodo: Comodo (SSL Certificate Authority ) is a leading Internet security specialist and provides next generation E-commerce Security Solutions. Through a growing range of products, services and applications developed by its dedicated research lab, Comodo provides software, hardware, secure messaging and certificate based security.

After its first year of issuing SSL Certificates, Comodo has quickly become the 2nd largest Certification Authority in the world. For product information please contact + 1.888.266.6361 or + 1.703.581.6361 or visit the Comodo Home Page at www.comodogroup.com.

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