BBN CONTRIBUTES SECURITY AND INTERNET EXPERTISE TO CONSORTIUM'S ELECTRONIC
CHECKS PROJECT

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Sept. 21, 1995 -- BBN Planet Corporation, a
subsidiary of BBN Inc., today announced that it is supporting the
development of a certificate authority infrastructure for the Financial
Services Technology Consortium (FSTC) Electronic Check project. In a
related announcement, the FSTC today said that it has successfully
demonstrated a comprehensive, all-electronic check transaction over the
Internet using the existing U.S. banking infrastructure. BBN is providing
both certificate authority and Internet access services for the
demonstration, leveraging its more than 20 years of experience in
developing network security technologies.

FSTC is a consortium of major U.S. banks, financial service companies,
computer and technology firms, and related organizations, which have
developed the Electronic Check to provide consumers and business with a
common, secure electronic payment method that functions like the familiar
paper checkbook. Certificate authority implies a trusted party that
creates and signs digital certificates, the electronically protected IDs
that validate a user's attributes.

"A critical issue impacting the widespread acceptance of electronic
commerce is the concern over fraud," said Cliff Conneighton, vice
president of marketing, at BBN Planet. "Scientists at our BBN Planet and
BBN Systems and Technologies divisions are working on the Electronic Check
project to develop an electronic identification system that uses public
key encryption technology to prevent forgery and guarantee the integrity
of digital signatures."

Among the current security solutions offered by BBN are SafeKeyper[tm] and
Site Patrol[sm]. SafeKeyper is a device developed by BBN Systems and
Technologies to support high-assurance digital signature applications in
which prevention of compromise in signing capability is critical.
SafeKeyper generates and stores the most critical cryptographic keys
securely and conveniently, protecting them from disclosure, misuse or
loss. Site Patrol, developed by BBN Planet, is a comprehensive solution
that gives customers a fully managed protective electronic "firewall"
between an organization's internal network and the external Internet. The
solution includes the firewall hardware and software, installation and
integration, 24-hour security monitoring and response, configuration
management, and security updates and alerts.

BBN Systems and Technologies performs contract research and development in
computer, communications, and information sciences, and develops advanced
technology products, systems, and application software that help people
work and learn together. For nearly 50 years, BBN Systems and Technologies
has developed solutions which have resulted in significant contributions
to business, industry, and government, including development of the first
computer modem, the invention of packet switching, and the development of
the ARPANET, the forerunner of today's Internet. BBN Planet Corporation is
one of the nation's leading providers of managed Internet access services
for business and organizations. More than 1,300 leading companies and
educational, medical and research institutions nationwide connect to the
Internet via BBN Planet's operations. In addition to managed connectivity,
BBN Planet's Internet services include: security, around-the-clock network
operations, end-to-end problem resolution, World Wide Web site creation
and hosting services, training, and consulting.

Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., BBN Inc. (NYSE:BBN) is a leading
provider of Internetworking services and enabling technologies,
collaborative systems and data analysis software for commercial customers,
government agencies and educational institutions. The company posted
revenue of $215 million for its fiscal year ended June 30, 1995.

Further information on BBN products and customers may be obtained through
BBN's Internet Web site at http://www.bbn.com.

Additional background on FSTC is available vis the Consortium's Internet
Web site at http://www.llnl.gov/fstc.
 
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