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DaimlerChrysler Decides for IT Security Solutions of Utimaco

6 July 1999

DaimlerChrysler Decides for IT Security Solutions of Utimaco

      Equipping of the Field Service Notebooks with Certified Windows NT
                        Security Systems From Utimaco

    OBERURSEL, Germany, July 6 -- The automobile manufacturer
DaimlerChrysler Germany has decided to equip all the notebooks of the field
service division for passenger cars with security solutions from Utimaco
Safeware AG.  The objective of this measure is to protect sensitive
information on notebooks and CD-ROMS from unauthorised access.  In this
context, solutions from the Utimaco product suite for mobile/desktop security
are being used for secure authentication and encryption.
    At present, almost 1.500 notebooks being used in the passenger car field
service division of DaimlerChrysler Germany are to be equipped with
Utimaco SafeGuard(R) products for mobile/desktop security.
    "With the decision to go for IT security solutions from Utimaco,
DaimlerChrysler is effectively carrying forward its philosophy of security,
which determines the development and production of motorised vehicles, in its
operations as well.  The certified security of the solutions according to
international standards and the modular construction of the product portfolio
of Utimaco provide us with a high degree of investment protection," says
Tobias Meiler, Project Leader, Laptop "New Generation" at DaimlerChrysler
Germany.
    "Today, notebooks are standard equipment for management and field
engineers.  However, the hidden danger that is always present in mobile
computing is that sensitive company data such as e.g. strategic planning
documents, customer information and price information could get into the wrong
hands.  The use of professional security solutions in this area will be a
significant competitive advantage in the tough automobile market," opines
Peter Bohn, Chairman of the Management Board of Utimaco Safeware AG.  In the
next step, DaimlerChrysler Germany is planning the introduction of this
security concept in other enterprise areas as well, such as field service of
commercial vehicles.  Since 1998, there is already a frame agreement between
Utimaco and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG (Dasa/Munchen) for the deployment of
Utimaco SafeGuard products.  The Utimaco products for mobile/desktop security
SafeGuard Easy and SafeGuard Advanced Security for Windows NT will be used in
the passenger car field service division of DaimlerChrysler Germany.
SafeGuard Easy, certified according to the internationally recognised security
criteria "Common Criteria, ISO 15408/FDIS", is the only product available in
the market to provide this high security standard. One important security
element of SafeGuard Easy is the secure authentication of users by means of
Pre Boot Authentication (PBA), which is already active even before the
operating system starts, and hence -- in combination with the strong
encryption, -- gives potential attackers (hackers, industrial spies)
absolutely no opportunity to crack the certified security system.
    The SafeGuard product line was developed specially for professional use in
companies and government authorities.  It facilitates the implementation of
enterprise-wide security guidelines on the basis of high acceptance by the
employees, because after successful authentication, the SafeGuard products are
active in the background, unnoticed by the user.  Only authorised
administrators can make changes to the security settings.  The installation
can be automated in the network with all the popular system management tools.
In addition, SafeGuard Advanced Security for Windows NT provides very secure
protection from the infiltration of disallowed pro-grams (e.g. Hackertools)
and facilitates the encryption of files/directories on local hard disks,
server drives and even on external data media such as CD-ROMs.  Sensitive data
(e.g. updates to price lists, discounts etc.) can be securely distributed on
CD-ROMs by using this method.  Apart from the expandability of the solution
with a Smartcard-based login, this was another important decision criterion
for DaimlerChrysler.
    With more than 1 million licenses sold, Utimaco Safeware AG is the leading
European manufacturer of professional and certified IT security solutions.
Utimaco develops and markets integrated security solutions based on
established standards for the following segments:  mobile/desktop security
(authentication, access control, encryption), network security
(authentication, encryption), e-commerce security (digital signatures,
encryption) and security infrastructure (Smartcard readers etc.).  As the
solution-provider, the company implements customer-specific security projects
based on configurable standard products of the SafeGuard product family, the
Smartcard readers CardMan(R) and the CryptWare(R) technology.  Utimaco
provides these products for the platforms Microsoft Windows 95/98/NT, for OS/2
as well as in networked operations for Novell and Unix.