McAfee Inc. Announces Support for New U3 Platform for USB Flash Drives

McAfee Inc. Announces Support for New U3 Platform for USB Flash Drives

    Business Editors/High-Tech Writers
    2005 International CES

    LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2005--

U3 Provides McAfee Inc. with a Security-Ready Platform to Protect User's Applications and Data from Malicious Attacks
    McAfee Inc. (NYSE:MFE), the pioneer and worldwide leader of intrusion prevention solutions, today announced that it supports U3, a new hardware and software platform that will expand the USB flash drive market beyond storage. Users utilizing the new platform will have a security-ready platform that can be supported by McAfee(R) VirusScan(R) and McAfee(R) Personal Firewall Plus protection, helping to ensure that the user's applications, data, and identity are secure from malicious threats.
    At a press conference held today at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), M-Systems Flash Disk Pioneers Limited (NASDAQ:FLSH) and SanDisk(R) Corp. (NASDAQ:SNDK), developers of the U3 platform, will outline their plans to expand the USB Flash Drive from its current role as a simple, convenient storage device into a new mobile consumer electronics product that consumers can use to carry, store and launch their own applications on any PC anywhere they go. At this press conference, Todd Gebhart, vice president of OEM sales at McAfee Inc., will briefly discuss how U3 will provide McAfee users with a new platform that can be secured from the transfer of malicious threats, such as the recent Mydoom, Netsky and Bagle worms.
    "McAfee Inc. is a key developer to have on board as a supporter of the U3 objectives," said Kate Purmal, interim executive director of U3. "Until U3, there hasn't been a platform by which software developers could apply their value to these highly popular storage products. Now they can ensure that this new platform will be secured by a leading security company such as McAfee."
    McAfee system protection solutions secure all layers of personal desktop and server systems and applications. McAfee sees the potential popularity of the USB flash drives as a major opportunity to serve both consumers and enterprises with a way to protect the data that is copied to the drives. McAfee believes that U3 will help expand the USB Flash Drive technology market beyond storage -- creating a new platform to attract a community of independent developers to make applications for U3 devices. With McAfee system protection, these users can ensure they have the most comprehensive protection available.
    "McAfee is proud to support anti-virus and personal firewall protection for the U3 platform," said Todd Gebhart, senior vice president of sales for the global service provider team at McAfee Inc. "Since U3 devices will enable applications to be portable, the device becomes similar to a remote PC. McAfee's products will provide the features that will ensure U3 devices remain secure and virus-free."
    The press conference will take place today, Jan. 7, from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. PST, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Room S225. For more details, please visit: http://www.cesweb.org/press/events/exhibitor_events.asp?#Friday,%20Jan uary%207. (Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field.)

    About U3

    U3(TM) LLC is based in Redwood City, Calif. Its objective is to expand USB drive technology beyond storage. Users will be able to easily carry, store and launch a wide range of new applications from their U3 device from any PC wherever they may go. For more information see www.U3.com.

    About McAfee Inc.

    McAfee Inc. (NYSE:MFE), with headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif., creates best-of-breed intrusion prevention and risk management solutions. McAfee's market-leading security products and services help large, medium and small businesses, government agencies, and consumers prevent intrusions on networks and protect computer systems from critical threats. Additionally, through the Foundstone Professional Services division, leading security consultants provide security expertise and best practices for organizations. For more information, McAfee Inc. can be reached at 972-963-8000 or on the Internet at http://www.mcafee.com/.
    "NOTE: McAfee, VirusScan and Foundstone are either registered trademarks or trademarks of McAfee Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. The color red in connection with security is distinctive of McAfee brand products. All other registered and unregistered trademarks herein are the sole property of their respective owners. (C) 2005 McAfee Inc. All Rights Reserved."
    All company and product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and are used for identification purposes only.
    NOTE: This press release includes forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to vary significantly. These risks include, but are not limited to, risks related to: market acceptance of the U3 platform; the ability of M-Systems, SanDisk and the U3 LLC to interest and attract suitable software developers in order to promote the U3 platform, the impact of competitive products and pricing; U3 development; commercialization and technological difficulties; development and growth of anticipated markets for U3; capacity and supply constraints; the effect of global economic conditions in general and conditions in SanDisk's and M-Systems' industry and target markets in particular; shifts in supply and demand; timely product and technology development/upgrades, including without limitation, timely development of the U3 specification, software development kits and other tools intended to promote the U3 platform and the ability to manage changes in market conditions as needed; and other risk factors detailed in the M-Systems' and SanDisk's most recent respective annual reports and their other respective filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available as of the date hereof. Each of M-Systems and SanDisk assumes no obligation to update the information in this release and disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Reference to above Web sites does not constitute incorporation of any of the information thereon into this press release.

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CONTACT: Porter Novelli for U3 Teena Touch, 415-975-3321 teena.touch@porternovelli.com or Kimberly Weber, 415-975-3332 kimberly.weber@porternovelli.com or McAfee Inc. Shawn Wolfe, 408-992-8252 shawn_wolfe@mcafee.com

KEYWORD: NEVADA CALIFORNIA TRACK INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS SOFTWARE TRADESHOW PRODUCT SOURCE: U3

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