Blue Coat Partners with Apere to Secure and Simplify Authentication of Web-based Applications

New Addition to Blue Coat Technology Integration Partner Program Provides Customers with Secure Web Single Sign-On Authentication Solutions

SUNNYVALE, Calif., August 27, 2008 - Blue Coat Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCSI), the leader in WAN Application Delivery and Secure Web Gateway, today announced that Apere, Inc., a leading provider of network security solutions, has joined the Blue Coat Technology Integration Partner Program to make available to enterprises a seamless single sign-on authentication solution for Web-based applications. The transparent password management and one-time authentication capability of the Blue Coat and Apere solution allows enterprises to simplify management tasks by securely supporting a single login for all Web-based applications.

Enterprises are using Web-based applications for many functions, such as managing and administering customer relationships, databases, financials, benefits as well as a variety of other business-critical tasks. This shift to the software as a service model increases both the number of passwords employees must remember and the security risk that comes with frequently leaving the corporate network. According to SupportSoft, 20 percent of calls to corporate help desks pertain to password problems, including requests to reset passwords and unlock applications. With the joint Blue Coat and Apere solution, IT organizations can mitigate that issue and focus instead on optimizing the network to increase application performance.

"As companies increasingly rely on externally hosted services for certain business-critical applications, it is critical to identify and authenticate users and their privileges," said Bethany Mayer, senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing at Blue Coat Systems. "Blue Coat provides the visibility, control and acceleration that enterprises require to understand the users and applications on the network and enforce established corporate policies."

Blue Coat® ProxySG® appliances deliver security, control and acceleration at the Internet gateway to protect against threats and enhance application performance while the Apere IMAG-TrueSSO solution provides agent less single sign on for web-based applications. As a solution, these products provide a seamless and secure way to manage multiple passwords without requiring employees to maintain their own unique lists. By simplifying the authentication process with a single login and automatically enforcing user privileges within the applications, Blue Coat and Apere enable enterprises to reduce the costs of managing their networks.

"Password issues are one of the most time consuming tasks that the help desk handles, particularly since applications have moved outside of the corporate data center and employees are required to maintain multiple passwords to access essential applications," said Ram Jayam, CEO at Apere. "By integrating the security and control that Blue Coat provides at the Internet gateway with Apere's Web Single Sign On, we can help customers eliminate one of their most burdensome management tasks as well as increase employee productivity."

Blue Coat ProxySG appliances provide an extensive range of authentication mechanisms, including Active Directory, LDAP, RADIUS, NTLM and Digital X.509 certificates. In addition to a wide variety of authentication mechanisms, ProxySG appliances also support management tools that allow IT managers to view users on the network and control their access.

The Blue Coat Technology Integration Partner Program is designed to provide enterprises with the flexibility and ease of deployment required to build their application infrastructure according to their unique needs. By partnering with best-of-breed vendors to deliver interoperable solutions, Blue Coat offers customers a wide range of options for comprehensive Secure Web Gateway and WAN optimization deployments.