HERNDON, Va., and URBANA, Ill., Sept. 20, 2004 — Trusted Computer Solutions, Inc. (TCS), a leading supplier of secure information sharing technologies to the Department of Defense, the intelligence community and commercial industry, today announced it is building Trusted Linux™, the world’s first commercially available multilevel-secure (MLS) Linux operating system.

With Beta testing beginning fall 2004, TCS Trusted Linux will be a key software component of a "trusted computing base" — a rigorously vetted system of software, hardware and firmware that together correctly enforces a unified security policy. TCS Trusted Linux is designed to accommodate the real-world needs of government and commercial IT managers, incorporating ease-of-use features that will make it far simpler to learn, less difficult to use and less cumbersome to administer than traditional trusted operating systems. TCS Trusted Linux is expected to be available for purchase, with evaluation and accreditation processes underway, in early 2005.

"Trusted Linux is a giant leap forward for advancing the security and simplifying the sharing of sensitive information across differing security domains while, at the same time, automating and enforcing the most stringent security policies," said Edward Hammersla, chief operating officer at TCS. "This is a huge improvement over manual and unaudited methods of sharing information — or worst case, not sharing information at all."

TCS is one of the few information security companies in the world with the proven in-house engineering expertise to develop a Trusted Linux suitable for both government and commercial markets. TCS Trusted Linux will serve as the foundation for the company’s SecureOffice® suite of secure applications. These products meet a level of security that is now required by the federal government and a growing number of commercial entities in the critical infrastructure protection sectors.

TCS Trusted Linux, the world’s first commercial MLS Linux operating system is targeted for certification under the US Common Criteria Evaluation and Validation Scheme at Evaluation Assurance Level 4 (EAL4).

The Common Criteria is an international standard used to specify security functionality and assurance requirements for information systems and products. EAL4 is the highest assurance level ever targeted for a Linux OS. EAL4 and higher levels are attained by very few operating systems, some of which require custom or specialized hardware. TCS Trusted Linux is designed to run on technology from Intel and on standard, commercially available hardware platforms from leading vendors such as Dell, HP, IBM, Silicon Graphics and Sun Microsystems.

Government Benefits
National security concerns and the recent release of the 9/11 Commission Report have substantially heightened the need to tighten IT security in government. The report calls for a "better balance between security and shared knowledge" and recommends information be shared securely across individual agencies through a "trusted information network." Rather than constructing a technical fortress around sensitive data, which can limit the ability to share information, TCS Trusted Linux™ provides this assurance level at the core of the operating system for more fundamental security.

TCS Trusted Linux, based on the National Security Agency’s SELinux, will incorporate the security functionality defined in three protection profiles recognized by Common Criteria: Labeled Security Protection Profile (LSPP), Controlled Access Protection Profile (CAPP) and Role-Based Access Control Protection Profile (RBAC). These three protection profiles specify security functionality and assurance that is required to conform to the technical requirements of Director of Central Intelligence Directive 6/3 (DCID 6/3), which specifies measures used to secure intelligence-related information and systems, including those necessary for Top Secret and Below Interoperability (TSABI).

Commercial Industry Benefits
Corporations continue to face the rising threat of information hijacking from increasingly savvy cyber hackers. With investors and customers equally concerned about the safeguarding of private information, corporations must seek more comprehensive security measures to protect their data and reputations. In addition, new laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Gramm-Leach-Bliley have created stringent new requirements to secure and control access to a wide range of personal, financial and privileged information in the commercial sector. TCS Trusted Linux will bring a new level of security to commercial entities - a level of protection trusted by the U.S. government to safeguard our nation's most sensitive data.

"Trusted Linux — like all Trusted Computer Solutions products — follows our strategy of attacking the problems of critical infrastructure protection and cross-domain information-sharing by enforcing security policies at the operating system level," said Hammersla. "This OS-enforced approach is extremely reliable, and results in the most cost effective means of enhancing security in any setting."

About Trusted Computer Solutions, Inc.
Founded in 1994, Trusted Computer Solutions (TCS) is an industry leader in cyber security and information sharing software products. TCS products and services offer a simple solution that enables government and commercial organizations to securely share information while protecting vital information assets. TCS products strike the right balance between Information Protection and Information Sharing, something vital in today’s environment. TCS Products adhere to the most stringent security standards set by the U.S. government agencies such as the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. The company’s SecureOffice® products are installed and accredited in operational systems around the world today protecting our nation’s most sensitive digital information. TCS is headquartered in Herndon, Va., with offices in Urbana, Ill. and San Antonio. For more information, visit www.TrustedCS.com.