Astaro Announces New Astaro Secure Client for VPNs

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HEADLINE:
Astaro Announces New Astaro Secure Client for Virtual Private Networks 
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SUB-HEADLINE:
Discontinues sales of older Astaro IPSec Client software
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BODY:

BURLINGTON, Mass. – October 18, 2004 – Astaro (www.astaro.com), developer of
the most popular open source-based network security product protecting 20,000
networks in 60 countries, today announced Astaro Secure Client, a new client
for Virtual Private Networks (VPN) that secures email and network
communications between mobile workers and their headquarters offices. 

A major upgrade to the existing Astaro IPSec Client, Astaro Secure Client
combines an advanced IPSec VPN client offering superior encryption and
authentication with a personal firewall and an integrated dialer. It allows
mobile workers, home offices, and individual PCs to communicate securely and
reliably over the Internet with central offices. 

Astaro Secure Client supports advanced encryption algorithms, strong
authentication methods (including smart cards, USB tokens and biometric
devices), and a choice of security and networking protocols. The personal
firewall prevents hackers from taking control of the remote system and
creating a “backdoor” into the organization’s central network. 

Astaro Secure Client is fully compatible with the VPN gateway in Astaro
Security Linux and a wide variety of other VPN gateways. It runs on Microsoft
Windows XP SP2, as well as Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0 or SP5, Windows 2000,
and Windows ME.

“The new Astaro Secure Client is an example of how Astaro continues to
upgrade the technology available to our customers,” said Jan Hichert, CEO of
Astaro. “It is an ideal product for organizations that want very high levels
of security, including sophisticated encryption and two-factor
authentication.”

Astaro Secure Client is based on technology from NCP (www.ncp.de), a leading
provider of software products for secure communications over public networks.

Pricing and Availability

Licenses for Astaro Secure Client start at €90 or $90 per client. Trade-in
programs are available for customers who have purchased the Astaro IPSec
Client. Astaro Secure Client is available immediately through Astaro’s
worldwide network of solutions partners.

Older VPN Client Discontinued

Astaro also announced that as of this date it will discontinue sales of the
Astaro IPSec Client software package.  

About Astaro

Astaro develops Astaro Security Linux, a gateway security product that
provides six critical security applications - firewall, VPN gateway,
anti-virus, intrusion protection, spam filtering and content filtering -
fully integrated on a single management platform. The company was founded in
January 2000 and today is co-headquartered in Burlington, Mass. and
Karlsruhe, Germany. Astaro's software has won numerous industry awards, and
is protecting over 20,000 networks in 60 countries, including such companies
as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Los Alamos National Labs, Stanford University and
Watsco, Inc. Astaro Security Linux is distributed by a worldwide network of
350 solutions partners who offer local support and services.
http://www.astaro.com


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All trademarks are owned by their respective companies.


U.S. Press Contacts: 
Victor Cruz, Astaro
+1 508 785 1590
vcruz@astaro.com