FILEOPEN SYSTEMS RELEASES WEBPUBLISHER2 FOR SECURE PDF DISTRIBUTION
New product architecture enables real-time authentication, integration with existing publishing infrastructure

NEW YORK, New York, February 1, 2002
FileOpen Systems Inc. (www.fileopen.com) today announced the release of WebPublisher2(TM), a new software system that enables server-based encryption and controlled distribution of PDF (Portable Document Format) files. Publishers can easily integrate WebPublisher2 into their PDF publishing process, by extending the functionality of their existing server infrastructure to communicate directly with the Adobe(TM) Acrobat(TM) or Adobe(TM) Acrobat(TM) Reader software on the desktops of their end users. WebPublisher2 is compatible with any Web server, e-commerce system or document management database the publisher currently has in place.

"We designed WebPublisher2 to maximize the publisher's control over documents and minimize the difficulty of integration into existing systems," said Sanford Bingham, president of FileOpen Systems. "We listened to our customers' requests for a streamlined PDF security solution that could be plugged-in to any webserver environment, on any platform, while placing a minimal burden on authorized end-users." WebPublisher2 can encrypt PDF files on multiple platforms via a thread-safe commandline-driven program, either dynamically on the Web server or in advance of distribution. At the client end, an extremely lightweight plug-in (112KB) automatically installs itself into the user's existing Acrobat viewer and silently manages usage from that point on.

Enabling e-commerce of documents FileOpen
WebPublisher2 has already been well-received by the PDF publishing community. "With the integration of FileOpen's WebPublisher2 into our Smart Mediary System, an online electronic content management and delivery platform, individuals and publishers can now, for the first time, affordably sell their content online," said Dagan Short, Chief Technology Officer for Smart Mediary Systems. "Now everyone can feel secure knowing that their copyrights will remain protected even after purchase." Smart Mediary Systems, a charter customer, has made a demonstration of WebPublisher2's capabilities at http://www.briefsmart.com.

PDFs that can "take orders"
WebPublisher2 capitalizes on two important advancements in the electronic publishing landscape: the prevalence of programmable server infrastructure on publisher web sites; and the fact that the overwhelming majority of end-users are connected to the Internet. This secure, connected environment enables the WebPublisher client, a plug-in to Adobe Acrobat Reader, to communicate constantly with and follow orders from the publisher's web site. All communication between the FileOpen client and the publisher's server may be encrypted via the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol, i.e. "https:". Each time an end-user attempts to open an encrypted document, the FileOpen client sends a request to the publisher's web server, consulting that server's business logic. This logic is completely under the control of the publisher and is neither constrained nor monitored by FileOpen Systems. This authentication process is unnoticeable to the authorized end-user. The document in question may be hosted on the publisher's web site, delivered to the end-user via email attachment, or even reside on a CD-ROM.

Access controls include printing restrictions and expiration
FileOpen WebPublisher2 incorporates the access controls that have made FileOpen Publisher popular among PDF publishers, such as printing restrictions (according to page ranges, time period, number of printouts allowed, etc.) and timed expiration (controls how long a user may open or print a document according to a relative or absolute date). What's more, the communicating client in WebPublisher2 can check the publisher's website for updated permissions every time a user attempts to open or print a document.

Using the WebPublisher2 system, publishers can define every aspect of their document encryption and user authentication process: documents can be encrypted on the fly or in batch-mode ahead of time, they can be stored in any kind of database, hosted on their own web site or distributed via email or CD-ROM. Users can be authenticated using a session ID from the server, a username/password pair, a machine ID, or via anonymous or "guest" status. The publisher defines the identifiers for documents and users, and specifies the encryption keys, which are known only to that publisher. Furthermore, the publisher can change or revoke viewing permissions dynamically on their Web server, and the FileOpen client will comply.

Increased Security at Every Point
The communication between the WebPublisher2 client and the publisher's server, through which the document decryption key and permissions are transmitted, is protected via SSL, the most widely accepted method of encrypting data in transit over the internet. SSL uses public key infrastructure to encrypt data being sent to and from the publisher's website, and is the accepted means for transferring sensitive data, such as credit card numbers, over the web.

If an authorized user's status changes (for example, if a subscription period ends), the publisher's server can instruct the WebPublisher2 client to deny access to that user. Using the system, publishers may also create systems to monitor concurrent usage of documents, provide limited trials, or provide offline rights (i.e. permit access without the requirement to connect to the publisher's server) to specific machines. Information stored on the user's local machine in "Offline mode" is encrypted using a 128-bit cipher derived from the Microsoft Cryptography API layer in Windows.

Encrypted documents passed to unauthorized users cannot be opened, even if the user obtains the WebPublisher2 client, because all permissions must be obtained directly from the publisher's server. The publisher's server is the only place from which decryption keys may be obtained and is thus the only single point of failure in the system.

Licensing Options Preserve Publisher Autonomy
The licensing options for WebPublisher2 extend the concept of publisher autonomy reflected in the system. Publishers may license WebPublisher2 for US$5000, with an annual maintenance and support charge of $1250.

FileOpen Systems does not monitor the volume of documents processed, the number of client seats, or charge any royalty on publishers' revenues. Bulk licensing options are available to service bureaus and integrators. FileOpen Systems offers an evaluation version and a complete demonstration site, at http://www.fileopen.com/fowp/