F-Secure partners with Cisco Systems and iD2 for a European Security Solution

JSE-listed Y3K`s Information Security Division (Gas Software) the sole distributor for F-Secure Corporation (previously known as Data Fellows Finland) in Africa, today announced that F-Secure will partner with Cisco Systems and privately held iD2 Technologies to build a European VPN solution. This solution will provide customers of the three companies with a completely functional Smart Card-enabled VPN solution with centralised policy based management and integrated PKI technology.

"F-Secure is a strong European security player, and we are happy to work with strong partners to provide a complete European solution," says Risto Siilasmaa, CEO and President of F-Secure Corporation. "Now we can provide a comprehensive security offering on the desktop, including policy based management, Smart Card and PKI support, and compatibility with the Wide Area Network infrastructure."

As the first implementation, F-Secure announced a new "Security as a Service" partnership with the Italian Security Service Provider; Communication Valley. "F-Secure has a powerful VPN client implementation that we are planning to roll out as a key component of our new Cisco-based VPN service," says Ivan Pastorini, Managing Director of Communication Valley.

"For large organisations, using Smart Cards within a VPN is an extremely flexible and manageable approach. Not only do Smart Cards combine high security with ease of use, but network administrators have complete control over user access privileges by quickly revoking expired or withdrawn cards," explains Rain Eriksoo, Director of Marketing at iD2 Technologies. "Together with our experience and standards-based solutions, a partnership with Cisco and F-Secure is a very powerful proposition."

For further information, please contact Sales Manager Hilton Gray at tel. (011) 886 3757; fax (011) 787 1109; e-mail hilton.gray@y3kgroup.com