MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS VENTURE GIANTS FUND I-CONTROL SECURITY™ TO USHER IN THE ERA OF PERSONAL DIGITAL SECURITY™

Nokia Venture Partners and Ericsson Venture Partners in First-Ever Collaboration as Lead Investors to Kickstart Wireless Data Industry

Campbell, Calif., Sept. 17, 2002 - - I-Control Security™, a Silicon Valley start-up developing a solution that enables secure wireless data communications combined with strong authentication, announced today that two of the world's largest wireless communications venture funds, Nokia Venture Partners and Ericsson Venture Partners, are collaborating as lead investors in I-Control's $12.5 million second round financing. Ericsson Venture Partners is an investment outlet of wireless communications titan L.M. Ericsson of Sweden (NASDAQ: ERICY).

The funding will enable I-Control to bring to market a common strong authentication solution for a broad range of platforms and devices. The I-Control solution places control of digital IDs, and their authentication, in the hands of end-users and enterprises, rather than relying solely on an external authentication authority. It enables enterprises, service providers and wireless operators to protect corporate digital assets and personal data while supporting users of laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cell phones, and other digital mobile systems.

"The growth of smart devices and secure mobile communications is hindered by the lack of robust authentication solutions," said J.C. Huang, Managing Director of Ericsson Venture Partners in New York. "We believe I-Control's Personal Digital Security technology can remove that obstacle."

According to W. Peter Buhl, Partner at Nokia Venture Partners in Menlo Park, CA, "The industry urgently needs a Personal Digital Security solution that protects digital assets, like valuable corporate and personal information, from unauthenticated access while using a mobile device, whether it is a mobile phone, PDA or laptop."

"We are pleased that Nokia Venture Partners and Ericsson Venture Partners are assuming the role as lead investors in I-Control. More importantly, we appreciate their affirmation that I-Control's technology and products will be critical tools in enabling secure mobile data transactions," stated Anthony G. Bozzini, I-Control's Chairman and CEO.

Joining Nokia Venture Partners and Ericsson Venture Partners in I-Control's financing are Acer Technology Ventures and Osprey Ventures. "In addition to the wireless world, we can see I-Control's Personal Digital Security technology applied to securing mobile PC's, data peripherals, and Smartcards, as well," stated James C. Lu, Managing Director of Acer Technology Ventures in Santa Clara, CA.

An emerging leader in mobile authentication, I-Control intends to establish a new mobile security standard. "Such a standard could enable a host of new, secure, data services allowing wireless carriers to provide differentiated offerings that generate the higher per-customer revenues and customer retention they covet," Bozzini explained.

With the proliferation of intelligent personal devices, such as PDAs, cell phones, and laptops, that deliver "always-on" wireless access to critical corporate and personal information, stronger authentication and more secure communications are ever more urgent. There is a critical need for stronger authentication technology given that present devices rely almost exclusively on simple passwords.

An End-To-End Solution

I-Control's Personal Digital Security technology turns mobile devices into "personal trusted devices" by binding the individual user to the device. I-Control's technology also binds the individual to network access and transactions when the device is used in a network mode. I-Control extends the "wireless trust chain" beyond the hardware itself directly to the individual user.

The target markets for I-Control's Personal Digital Security systems include enterprise access, mobile transaction platforms, wireless operator services and government security systems. The target hardware platforms for I-Control's Personal Digital Security technology, to create "personal trusted devices", include laptop computers, PDAs, smart phones, cell phones, USB tokens, POS and smart card systems.

Founded in 2000, I-Control has applied for over a dozen patents covering its end-to-end authentication systems and architecture. The complete solution includes the world's smallest, lowest-cost, lowest-power fingerprint sensor, specifically designed for the mobile market. It also includes a suite of algorithms uniquely suited to the demands of mobile and embedded systems markets. In addition, I-Control provides log-on and data protection software for the devices themselves, as well as the necessary server-connectivity software.

About I-Control Security: Headquartered in Campbell, CA, I-Control Security was founded to usher in a new era of secure communications combined with strong authentication associated with Internet access, particularly when using wireless devices. The company has emerged as the leader in Personal Digital Security™, a new class of end-to-end Internet infrastructure that ensures the authenticity, confidentiality and non-repudiation of corporate and personal data and services accessed using mobile communications. I-Control's elegant solution has been endorsed by investments from Nokia Venture Partners, Ericsson Venture Partners, and Acer Technology Ventures. For more information, visit www.Icontrolinc.com.

About Nokia Venture Partners: Nokia Venture Partners is a leading global venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California. Launched in 1998, Nokia Venture Partners has USD$650 million under management and leads investments in early stage mobile technology companies around the world. The fund is backed by a number of value add limited partners and has a strong track record of leveraging its combined resources, experience and contacts to help build successful mobile businesses. The firm also has offices in Washington DC, London, Helsinki, Seoul, Hong Kong and Japan. For more information, visit www.nokiaventurepartners.com.

About Ericsson Venture Partners: Ericsson Venture Partners (EVP) is a $300 million venture capital fund. Its strategy is to achieve attractive financial returns by leading investments, across funding stages, in communications technology companies, with an emphasis on mobile. EVP aligns with the knowledge capital of Ericsson while leveraging the support of its other limited partners: Industrivarden, Investor AB, and Merrill Lynch. EVP focuses on Europe and North America through its offices in New York and London. For more information, see www.evp.com.

About Acer Technology Ventures: Acer Technology Ventures is the venture capital arm of the Acer Group, with six offices in Silicon Valley, Taipei, Singapore, Bangalore, Shanghai and Beijing. Currently, Acer Technology Ventures manages $300 million in committed capital. Its current fund, IP Fund One, L.P., consists of limited partners such as J.P. Morgan/Chase, Citibank, ABN AMRO, Nomura/Jafco, Trigem, DBS, GIC, CDIB and some Acer affiliates. The Investment focus of Acer Technology Ventures includes semiconductors, telecommunications, software and other enabling technologies. Further information is available on the Internet at www.acervc.com

About Osprey Ventures: Osprey is a venture capital fund family which invests primarily in early and expansion stage private companies in the technology arena, with a focus on the internet, communications, software and semiconductor sectors. The Fund is optimizing its exclusive, proprietary deal sourcing, due diligence and value creation contacts and techniques to seek income and gain through acquisition, holding and distribution of its portfolio securities. For more information visit, www.ospreyventures.com

Additional Press Contacts:
Gina Bauman Nokia Venture Partners
650.462.7255
press@nokiaventurpartners.com

J.C. Huang
Ericsson Venture Partners
212.485.1102
jch@evp.com

John Waltrip
Acer Technology Ventures
408.894.7925
john_waltrip@acervc.com