Check Point Software Announces Secure Support for Microsoft Netshow

Check Point FireWall-1 Is First Firewall Vendor To Announce Application Support

Redwood City, CA —

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., (NASDAQ: CHKPF), the leader in network security, today announced that it will provide integrated, secure support for Microsoft NetShow multimedia software in its Check Point FireWall-1 network security software during the fourth quarter of 1996. NetShow, announced today by Microsoft, enables users to multicast live audio and to store and stream multimedia content over networks. Check Point is the first firewall vendor to announce support for this emerging Microsoft software platform.

Check Point FireWall-1, which today supports hundreds of applications, services and protocols, is designed to enable administrators to easily customize the firewall to incorporate new applications. Most Internet audio and video technology, including NetShow, is based on connectionless protocols such as UDP and dynamically allocated channels. This makes it difficult or impossible for most firewalls to support these technologies securely. FireWall-1's Stateful Inspection implementation secures UDP-based applications by maintaining a virtual connection on top of UDP communications. Additionally, FireWall-1's programmable INSPECT engine, at the core of the FireWall-1 technology, allows Check Point to add support for new applications such as NetShow quickly and easily without requiring a software upgrade.

Check Point Software Technologies has demonstrated continuing support for Microsoft platforms and applications. Earlier this month, Check Point further solidified its commitment to the Windows NT platform by becoming the first firewall product to support Windows NT 4.0. In May, Check Point became the first firewall to announce support for Microsoft NetMeeting, an emerging standard in multimedia conferencing applications.

"The widespread deployment of Internet multimedia applications on the Internet and corporate Intranets has made it essential to secure these communications through the corporate firewall," said Dr. Deborah Triant, CEO and president of Check Point Software Technologies, Inc. "FireWall-1's extensible architecture, which can secure sessionless protocols commonly used for audio and video applications, enables Check Point to add support for today's new and emerging Internet applications such as NetShow quickly and easily."

"Security is a key concern for many organizations who want to use interactive media on the Internet and Intranet to deliver sensitive and confidential company information such as product development plans or speeches by company executives," said Nevet Basker, marketing group manager, network multimedia products unit at Microsoft Corp. "We are pleased to be working with Check Point Software to enable our customers to leverage NetShow's capabilities securely."

About FireWall-1
Check Point FireWall-1, the leading network security solution, provides integrated Internet/Intranet security, mobile and remote access control, authentication, encryption and network address translation. As the first shrinkwrapped firewall package and the first to employ an easy to-use graphical user interface, FireWall-1 is an NCSA-certified solution recognized by users and trade publications for its usability, flexibility, extensibility and high performance. The product is installed at thousands of customer sites worldwide and is the most widely-tested network security solution on the market.

Based upon Stateful Inspection technology, which is emerging as the industry standard, Check Point FireWall-1 supports hundreds of pre-defined services, applications and protocols. The programmable INSPECT engine, at the core of the FireWall-1 technology, allows Check Point to add support for new and custom applications quickly and easily. The product employs a distributed, client/server architecture, providing scalability and centralized management for multiple firewall gateways, and cross-platform support for Windows 95, Windows NT and UNIX.

About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKPF) is the leader in global network security software and inventors of a new generation firewall technology called Stateful Inspection, which is quickly emerging as the industry standard. The company commanded a 40% share of the worldwide firewall market in 1995 according to an IDC study issued in February, 1996. Its products are sold worldwide through OEM partners, distributors, VARs, systems and network integrators and Internet Service Providers. The company has U.S. headquarters in Redwood City, California and international headquarters in Ramat-Gan, Israel. For product information, please call (650) 482-4900, e-mail info@checkpoint.com or visit Check Point at http://www.checkpoint.com.

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