Apprion Press Release

Apprion Announces New ION Wireless Security Application
for Comprehensive Industrial Network Security

Apprion ION System Security First to be Reviewed and Qualified
By U.S. Department Of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Moffett Field, CA – Oct. 1, 2008 – Apprion, the leader in providing open, integrated industrial wireless systems for manufacturers, today announced the release of the Apprion ION Wireless Security application. The Apprion ION Wireless Security application works with any wireless device, network, or application that is integrated with the Apprion ION system providing industrial facilities with a layered security architecture to secure wireless networks, and proactive security scans to detect and deter system attacks that could lead to system downtime and the introduction of erroneous information.

To test the security of the ION Wireless Security application and the entire ION System, Apprion asked the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory to audit the entire system for architectural and design integrity and for potential areas of vulnerability. Apprion is also announcing today that the Apprion ION System has successfully completed this comprehensive security audit.

The ION Wireless Security application enables security policies at each layer for a truly secure wireless network: user authentication with secure role-based access, continuous proactive network monitoring for network vulnerabilities and rogue devices, and wireless network intrusion detection.

"Once you design your wireless system to ensure the complete integrity and security of data and networks, selected appropriate levels of data encryption, and provided for the secure authentication of users, you have built the foundation for a secure system" said Mike Bradley, CEO and President of Apprion. "Unfortunately, often security is just considered from a defensive position. At Apprion, we believe comprehensive security requires a bullet-proof defense and an aggressive offense. We take a complete view of security."

Apprion's approach to security has three layers:

Apprion ION Security Framework – Includes security features core to the ION System such as the security dashboard, secure user role-based access control, secure device access control and network security statistics and reporting.

ION Managed Security Services – Managed security services include continuous network and application monitoring and expert proactive support.

ION Wireless Security – An application included with the ION System that includes secure authentication, vulnerability scans, port scans, and intrusion detection.

Now available as part of the 3.5 release of the ION System, the ION Wireless Security application includes the following key components:

ION Wireless Intrusion Detection – Provides wireless network intrusion detection, packet sniffer and network detector capabilities. ION Wireless Intrusion Detection identifies and detects hidden networks and rogue devices by passively collecting packets, detecting and de-cloaking networks and inferring the presence of non-beaconing networks via data traffic.

ION Authentication – Provides comprehensive authentication and authorization services for all ION integrated wireless applications. ION Authentication allows the verification of user identity prior to granting network access via a wide variety of authentication protocols and access controls.

ION Security Scan – Provides comprehensive around-the-clock monitoring capabilities including day-to-day proactive protection through the ability to identify and correct weaknesses in the wireless system and pervasive security scans. ION Security Scan provides port scans, vulnerability scans, and rogue device scans.

"Besides the value to manufacturers of this new security application, it also adds value to Apprion's technology-agnostic approach to industrial wireless. This is critical for industrial wireless installations that employ multiple technologies, as all installations eventually will," said Harry Forbes, industry analyst with ARC Advisory Group.

The ION Wireless Security application works with any wireless device, network, or application that is integrated with the Apprion ION system. Apprion's ION system brings together the management and security of wireless applications ranging from instrumentation and condition monitoring sensors to video and voice communications.

To validate the security of the ION Wireless Security application and the entire ION System, a comprehensive security audit was conducted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Extreme Measurement Communications Center (EMC2). The audit was an exhaustive examination of Apprion security policies and procedures, Apprion's ION System product specifications and network architectures and how they measured-up against the critical security requirements of real-world industrial facilities.

"When people think of the security of wireless networks, they typically are envisioning some form of encryption and a firewall", said Wayne Manges, Director of the EMC2. "Apprion's approach to security is comprehensive – from the architecture of the ION products, to the system design and implementation at a customer site, to the management and security of the system once it is operational, Apprion thoroughly addresses the unique security demands of a multipurpose wireless system in an industrial setting."

EMC2 reviewed an Apprion reference architecture – as well as a fully deployed system – against numerous system designs such as those detailed in the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS'S) Control Systems Cyber Security: Defense in Depth Strategies (Report: INL/EXT-06-11478) to assess vulnerabilities as well as the ability detect and deter potential threats.

Based on the EMC2 findings, Manges also remarked, "The level of security enabled by Apprion requires thoughtful creativity plus a deep understanding of how data flows through a network to land on the appropriate user's screen. On each critical system element and overall architecture the Apprion network design and overall implementation is appropriately in sync with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Recommended Best Practice. This will allow both Process and IT individuals to rest assured that the Apprion deployed network is appropriately safe and secure."

A summary of the ORNL security audit will be available at Apprion booth #1300 at the ISA Expo in Houston from Oct. 14-16. After the ISA Expo, this summary will be available at www.apprion.com.

Availability and Pricing
The Apprion ION Wireless Security application is included with ION 3.5 which is currently available. Contact Apprion at www.apprion.com for pricing.

About the ION System
Apprion's ION System enables industrial facilities to cost-effectively deploy and manage multiple wireless applications as one unified, integrated system. The ION System consists of the Apprion IONosphere and IONizers. The IONosphere is an on-site network appliance that manages data services, workflow, security, monitoring and maintenance, and 3rd party application integration across wireless plant networks. Apprion's IONizer is the process industry's first industrial-grade, multi-RF, wireless network appliance. IONizers are designed to cost-effectively integrate and secure previously standalone wireless-enabled applications, such as VoIP and condition monitoring.
To read full product details, visit http://www.apprion.com/ION.asp.

About Apprion
Apprion delivers wireless application networks and services for the process manufacturing industry. These wireless application networks are based on Apprion's ION System – the first and only open, scalable, and extensible foundation for managing and integrating multi-vendor wireless devices and applications.

Whether it is the need to address safety or security concerns, reduce maintenance or material costs, or improve productivity or asset utilization, a wireless application network from Apprion will assure that any wireless application is easier to deploy and manage while delivering value faster, more efficiently. For more information, visit www.apprion.com.

Apprion and all other Apprion Inc. product or service names are trademarks of Apprion Inc. in the USA and other countries. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright 2010 Apprion Inc. All rights reserved.