Toolkit addresses security requirements of XML Documents and Messages in Web Services environments ISSE, PARIS, October 2, 2002-Baltimore Technologies (London:BLM) today announced general availability of KeyTools XML 5.1 for handling digital signatures within XML documents and messages. The W3C XML Digital Signature specification, for which Baltimore acted as the de facto reference implementation, is one of the cornerstones of security in the emerging Web services environment to provide assurance over the source and integrity of data.

"Without the appropriate security measures provided by KeyTools XML in place, the adoption of Web services will be severely curtailed," said Patrick McLaughlin, SVP Technical Strategy for Baltimore. "Coming on the back of the release earlier this year of XKMS and SAML capabilities within our core authentication and authorization products, Baltimore is strongly placed to provide the most comprehensive and flexible suite of security technology to its customers as they extend their existing IT systems into the Web services arena."

Major new features of Baltimore's KeyTools XML include the ability to create secure and trusted XML messages in full compliance with the XML Digital Signature specification, and full support for JCA/JCE (Java Cryptography Architecture/Java Cryptography Extension) compliant third-party cryptography provider. This open and flexible approach allows customers to select the cryptographic provider they need to match their specific requirements, platforms and skills.

"Commerce One is utilizing KeyTools XML to provide the security to our XML based Web Services solutions. We now have the ability to provide the most secure and advanced integration and business community management capabilities within our Web services solutions," said Sanjay Chikarmane, vice president of marketing at Commerce One. "Signing at a granular level within XML enables real-time, secure information exchange to address business needs in an ever changing marketplace."

KeyTools XML is ideally suited for large ISVs and System Integrators who are implementing XML and wish to make their offerings ready for secure and trusted delivery via the Internet, as well as very large organizations with disparate systems that need to leverage the strengths of XML in sharing formats and data in a web-based environment.

"By using KeyTools XML in our Business Process Manager (BPM) product we can now encrypt and sign XML messages at a granular level which gives us much more flexibility and higher performance message signing capabilities than with other formats such as S/MIME," said Adam Abrevaya, Vice President for Research & Development for eXcelon Corporation (http://www.exln.com/). Keytools XML has allowed us to fully implement the stringent security requirements of the ebXML Messaging Specification v2.0 and other Web services security standards."

Baltimore offers 24x7 product support for all customers and partners using KeyTools XML. Existing Baltimore KeyTools customers can leverage their investment by seamlessly integrating with KeyTools Pro to provide full PKI functionality. For more information on KeyTools XML and the other products in the KeyTools family, as well as upcoming support for XML Encryption, please visit: http://www.baltimore.com/keytools/index.asp.

About Baltimore Technologies
Baltimore Technologies' products, services and solutions solve the fundamental security and trust needs of e-business. Baltimore's e-security technology gives companies the necessary tools to verify the identity of who they are doing business with and securely manage which resources and information users can access on open networks. Many of the world's leading organizations use Baltimore's e-security technology to conduct business more efficiently and cost effectively over the Internet and wireless networks. Baltimore also offers worldwide support for its authorization management and public key-based authentication systems.

Baltimore's products and services are sold directly and through its worldwide partner network, Baltimore TrustedWorld. Baltimore Technologies is a public company, trading on London (BLM). For more information on Baltimore Technologies please visit http://www.baltimore.com