"With the .NET Framework, we are delivering technology that allows developers to leverage their existing technology to connect information, people, systems and devices in ways that have not been possible before. Certicom ensures that those connections and data are secure with efficient, strong cryptography." - Jonathan Wells, product manager in the Developer and Platform Evangelism Division at Microsoft.

Developers can easily add additional security to Microsoft .NET Framework-based applications on a desktop or portable device

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario – (March 24, 2004)– Certicom Corp. (TSX: CIC), the authority for strong, efficient cryptography, today announced Security Builder® Crypto™-C#, the first commercially available cryptographic developer toolkit for the Microsoft .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework. The Microsoft .NET Framework is a set of software technologies that helps developers to build Web-based applications for their Windows platforms. Security Builder Crypto-C# enables developers to easily add strong, efficient security to these applications on a desktop or portable device, without the need to learn new programming routines.
Security Builder Crypto-C# allows developers to easily port most crypto algorithms, including Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), from their desktop .NET Framework-based applications to Windows CE.NET, thereby significantly reducing development time. Because Security Builder Crypto-C# provides its functionality through a standard Microsoft Visual C# .NET application program interface (API), developers can use their existing Visual C# .NET knowledge to add security.

“With the .NET Framework, we are delivering technology that allows developers to leverage their existing technology to connect information, people, systems and devices in ways that have not been possible before. Certicom ensures that those connections and data are secure with efficient, strong cryptography,” said Jonathan Wells, product manager in the Developer and Platform Evangelism Division at Microsoft. “We’re pleased that Certicom is supporting the .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework technologies."

Security Builder Crypto-C# is the newest addition to the Security Builder suite of developer toolkits. Built on Security Builder Crypto 4.0, it is designed for developers who need to incorporate encryption, public keys and other security mechanisms over disparate platforms (supports 200 platforms including most Windows versions) without compromising performance. Security Builder Crypto-C# also includes FIPS-validated algorithms, which are considered a benchmark for security by government departments.

Security Builder Crypto-C# is optimized for resource-constrained devices and includes standards-based ECC implementations that provide smaller key sizes with a higher strength-per-bit than any other public key today. As Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) becomes more widely adopted, efficient public key sizes become an increasingly important consideration.

Other toolkits in the Security Builder by Certicom Suite include Security Builder® GSE™, a FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic module, Security Builder® PKI™, a digital certificate management toolkit, and Security Builder® SSL™ , a complete secure sockets layer toolkit.

“The Microsoft .NET Framework responds to a need in the market to provide developers with tools that allow them to leverage the Internet while using existing knowledge and networks. Certicom complements that initiative with Security Builder Crypto-C#, the first security toolkit for the .NET Framework, which gives developers an elegant solution for providing a higher level of security,” said Roy Pereira, vice-president, marketing and product development at Certicom. “Security Builder Crypto-C# contains industry-leading security algorithms in a Microsoft Visual C# .NET API, which enables developers to easily integrate strong, efficient security into their .NET Framework-based applications whether on a desktop or portable device.”

Security Builder Crypto-C# is available immediately and is priced with a license fee and royalties based on the number of devices. For more information, visit www.certicom.com/securitybuilder.

Certicom is a member of the Microsoft Mobility Partner Advisory Council (MPAC), a unique partner program developed by Microsoft to serve as a focused feedback mechanism for Microsoft Windows Mobile platform development, and provide like-minded companies with the tools and resources they need to bring the most innovative and successful mobility solutions to market.

About Certicom
Certicom Corp. (TSX:CIC) is the authority for strong, efficient cryptography required by software vendors and device manufacturers to embed security in their products. Adopted by the US Government’s National Security Agency (NSA), Certicom technologies for Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) provide the most security per bit of any known public key scheme, making it ideal for constrained environments. Certicom products and services are currently licensed to more than 300 customers including Motorola, Oracle, Research In Motion, Terayon, Texas Instruments and XM Radio. Founded in 1985, Certicom is headquartered in Mississauga, ON, Canada, with offices in Ottawa, ON; Reston, VA; San Mateo, CA; and London, England. Visit www.certicom.com.
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Forward-Looking Statements
Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially. Factors that might cause a difference include, but are not limited to, those relating to the acceptance of mobile and wireless devices and the continued growth of e-commerce and m-commerce, the increase of the demand for mutual authentication in m-commerce transactions, the acceptance of Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) technology as an industry standard, the market acceptance of our principal products and sales of our customer's products, the impact of competitive products and technologies, the possibility of our products infringing patents and other intellectual property of fourth parties, and costs of product development. Certicom will not update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. More detailed information about potential factors that could affect Certicom's financial results is included in the documents Certicom files from time to time with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities.

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