DataDirect Technologies Heightens Security in Application Infrastructure with Latest Release of Database Connectivity Components

New Security Features Added to the DataDirect Connect® Family of Drivers for ODBC, JDBC™ and Data Providers for ADO.NET Ensure Secure Database Access and Protection of Information Assets Across the Enterprise

BEDFORD, Mass. — May 07, 2007 — DataDirect Technologies, the unparalleled leader in data connectivity and mainframe integration and an operating company of Progress Software Corporation (Nasdaq: PRGS), today announced enhanced security features to its comprehensive line of data connectivity products supporting all major databases, platforms and data sources.

DataDirect Connect® for ODBC, DataDirect Connect for JDBC™ database drivers and DataDirect Connect for ADO.NET data providers have added data encryption and Operating System (OS) authentication. The new security features found in the DataDirect Connect product line help organizations implement rigorous security policies to protect information assets and comply with regulatory requirements. DataDirect Technologies' data encryption utilizes Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to protect data in transit while the OS authentication capability leverages Kerberos and includes support for credential delegation and connection re-use.

"Inferior database connectivity can put mission-critical applications and data at risk, creating potential security threats," said John Goodson, vice president of product operations at DataDirect Technologies. "To adequately protect information assets, each component of the application infrastructure must be secure – including the data connectivity components of the application stack. With integrated authentication and data encryption across the network, the DataDirect family of drivers improve the overall security posture of the application environment, increase user productivity and lower IT management costs."

The new OS authentication and SSL data encryption added to DataDirect Technologies' premium line of database drivers and data providers build upon the company's reputation for providing reliable data connectivity components that improve software performance, scalability and functionality.

Operating System Authentication

Verifying user identity and rights is a pillar of enterprise software security. OS authentication, implemented using the Kerberos security protocol, enables users to securely identify themselves over networked systems to gain access to information. Often used to implement a Single Sign-On infrastructure, OS authentication enables users to sign in once and then have access to all the systems and data to which they are entitled.

DataDirect Technologies' credential delegation and ability to securely associate a pooled connection with a different user provides the industry's only completely integrated authentication offering. These capabilities ensure that the authentication process is handled in a systematic fashion by all application components while using the least amount of system resources.

SSL Data Encryption

To ensure a secure transmission of data across the network between the database and the application, DataDirect Connect database drivers and data providers support database-specific encryption including Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), the industry-standard protocol for sending encrypted data over database connections. SSL secures the integrity of data by encrypting information and providing client/server authentication.

DataDirect Technologies' drivers are built on a unique wire protocol architecture which eliminates the need for database client libraries and have been independently tested to outperform native programming by a large margin. Moreover, because DataDirect drivers are designed to minimize network I/O, this unique architecture provides performance dividends since it reduces the impact associated with data encryption processing.

"E-commerce, financial malfeasance, regulatory compliance, application reusability and IT cost containment are just a few factors that have contributed to the increased level of scrutiny relative to information security," said Ira Winkler, IT security expert, independent consultant and author of Zen and the Art of Information Security. "DataDirect Technologies has responded, quickly adopting industry-leading security protocols that support several operating systems, database environments and multiple authentication designs to meet the needs of a heterogeneous enterprise-wide environment."

About DataDirect Technologies

DataDirect Technologies is the software industry's only comprehensive provider of software for connecting the world's most critical business applications to data and services, running on any platform, using proven and emerging standards. Developers worldwide depend on DataDirect® products to connect their applications to an unparalleled range of data sources using standards-based interfaces such as ODBC, JDBC™ and ADO.NET, XQuery and SOAP. More than 300 leading independent software vendors and thousands of enterprises rely on DataDirect Technologies to simplify and streamline data connectivity for distributed systems and to reduce the complexity of mainframe integration. DataDirect Technologies is an operating company of Progress Software Corporation (Nasdaq: PRGS). For more information, visit www.datadirect.com.

DataDirect and DataDirect Connect are trademarks or registered trademarks of Progress Software Corporation or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates in the United States and other countries. Java and all Java based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Any other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

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