FREMONT and SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 2, 2000-- Cirrus Logic Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS), a leading supplier of Internet audio chip technology, and InterTrust Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq:ITRU), the MetaTrust Utility(TM), today announced the first general-purpose, content-secure system-on-chips (SOCs) for Internet audio players that support MP3 and Windows Media Audio.

Through a unique combination of Cirrus Logic's patent-pending chip technology and InterTrust's Rights/PD digital rights management (DRM) software, the new Maverick chip solutions exceed all current Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) specifications.

Addressing industry concerns to protect audio copyrights while harnessing the power of the Internet, the new chips could play a key role in enabling the billion dollar global music market to securely distribute its products via the World Wide Web.

The existing "Maverick'' EP7209 SOC, currently shipping in second generation Internet audio devices, is the first chip to broadly support InterTrust Rights/PD(TM) software to manage and protect digital content. Expressly optimized for portable devices (PD), the Rights/PD software permits portable digital audio players to fully satisfy and exceed the SDMI requirements.

Digital content may be securely transferred from a PC to a portable device and used only as permitted by content-owner or distributor-specified rules. The rights management is also scalable, allowing for the persistent protection of digital information of all types, and support for simple to complex business models.

By embedding the InterTrust software, the Maverick EP7209 offers the most secure solution for digital content available on the market today. Existing EP7209 customers can upgrade their chips with an InterTrust software update.

Hard-Wired Security

Building on the software security of the EP7209, Cirrus Logic will offer the EP7339 with Maverick Lock(TM) Technology -- a breakthrough solution that includes patent-pending Cirrus Logic circuitry. Targeted specifically at Internet music players, the EP7339 will be the first chip to provide hard-wired support for InterTrust's decryption and digital rights management (DRM) software.

Moreover, the Maverick Lock technology includes on-chip security features such as a unique built-in SDMI ID, hidden private keys, automatic verification of a secure environment, and automatic disabling of debug and test interfaces.

Designed to be MetaTrust-Certified(TM), Maverick Lock hardware and software innovations provide the next level of security against digital theft. Samples will be available in the second quarter, and third-generation audio products using this new processor should appear on retail shelves this fall 2000.

Since it is software- and pin-compatible with the existing EP7209, the EP7339 with Maverick Lock Technology provides a solid upgrade path for manufacturers incorporating DRM in current and future products. The two single-chip solutions leapfrog existing multi-chip solutions for digital security, offering a more effective safeguard for preventing Internet theft of rights-protected audio content. The Maverick Lock technology can ultimately be applied to protect all types of content, not just audio, ensuring strong protection against the increasingly sophisticated Internet threats.

``The EP7339 with Maverick Lock Technology provides the type of hardware security typically found only in special-purpose government or military products,'' said Olin Sibert, vice president, Strategic Technologies, InterTrust Technologies Corporation. ``Hardware-based security is a major step in addressing the increasingly sophisticated threats we can expect in the future. With Maverick Lock technology, security isn't added on, it's built in.''

A Milestone in Internet Audio

Although Internet audio has rocketed from obscurity to one of the fastest-growing markets in the history of consumer electronics, the need for digital rights management is seen as a key requirement for achieving mainstream consumer adoption.

"Close collaboration with InterTrust and leading manufacturers enabled us to produce a solution that will unleash Internet audio,'' said Matthew Perry, vice president and general manager, Cirrus Logic's Embedded Processors Division. "The recording industry will be able to safely deliver copyrighted music via the web, consumers will be able to purchase audio content without fearing their private transactions will become public, and manufacturers can readily generate substantial revenue streams from sales of 'trusted' players.''

"Offering music to consumers through a range of portable devices that comply with SDMI standards is today's issue,'' said Tony Schaller, senior vice president of technology and CTO for RioPort, Inc. ``We want the ability to offer software solutions and content that provide broad compatibility and simplicity for the consumer. The InterTrust, RioPort and Cirrus Logic products help to ensure top quality content is available to consumers in a seamless, secure manner.''

"The standards for digital content security are continually being raised and Cirrus Logic is in a leading position to deliver hardware-enabled security to the market first,'' said Chris Smith, program manager DVD and Portable Audio, Creative Labs. ``Creative believes this level of security is vital for the increasingly sophisticated audio and entertainment market. As an InterTrust partner, we applaud the advances Cirrus Logic's Maverick technology will bring.''

``As a device manufacturer, Diamond Multimedia is encouraged by this announcement because it will result in more content for consumers,'' said Mike Reed, director of marketing at S3's Diamond Multimedia communications division. ``Getting a processor that embeds the InterTrust DRM technology is an important milestone in the evolution of digital audio.''

``With the Maverick security solutions, appliance manufacturers, content providers, and software vendors can get to market with technology that goes beyond merely complying with existing SDMI requirements,'' said Talal Shamoon, SVP, Media, InterTrust Technologies Corporation. ``The Cirrus Logic and InterTrust collaboration will set the standard for portable devices that support leading edge digital commerce.''

Price and Availability

The Maverick EP7209 with InterTrust software is available now, and is currently shipping in quantity. The EP7209 is priced at $11.95 in OEM quantities. The EP7339 with Maverick Lock Technology will begin sampling in the second quarter and will be priced at $14.95 in OEM quantities of. The InterTrust Rights/PD Developer's Kit for the EP7209 will be available at the end of Q1 2000. For more information email rightspd@intertrust.com.

InterTrust Technologies Corporation

InterTrust Technologies Corporation is the leading developer of distributed digital rights management (DRM) technology. InterTrust has developed a general purpose DRM platform that serves as a foundation for providers of digital information, technology, and commerce services. InterTrust licenses its DRM platform as software and tools to partners. Collectively, these partners offer digital commerce services and applications that form a global commerce system branded as the ``MetaTrust Utility.'' InterTrust serves as the neutral administrator of the MetaTrust environment.

Cirrus Logic Inc.

Cirrus Logic is a premier supplier of high-performance analog circuits and advanced mixed-signal chip solutions. The company's products, sold under its own name and the Crystal product brand, enable system-level applications in mass storage, audio, and precision data conversion. Additional information about Cirrus Logic is available at www.cirrus.com.

TECHNOLOGY BACKGROUND

How a secure transaction works

Cirrus Logic's Maverick Lock technology and InterTrust's DRM technology work together to secure Internet audio content running on digital audio players. Installed on a PC or other system, InterTrust's InterRights Point software converts music providers' encrypted content and cryptographic keys into ``DigiFiles(TM),'' which are transferred securely to the portable music player. Each DigiFile is protected only to work with the unique SDMI ID number of a given player (or players). Once a DigiFile is loaded into a player, Rights/PD software manages the user's rights to play the music contained in the DigiFile, permitting, for example, either an unlimited or limited number of replays. Rights/PD software also decrypts the DigiFile's content so the player can listen to the music.

EP7339 Hard-Wired Capabilities

While the EP7209 with InterTrust's embedded software exceeds all current SDMI specifications, Cirrus Logic has designed the EP7339 to provide additional security for digital content. The EP7339 chip incorporates the following capabilities:

A public, unique, SDMI ID burned into each chip to which content for the player is bound, ensuring that the content can be played only on the specific player

A hidden, unique, private key number linked to an additional private key, which are used together to enable upgrade of the security firmware and to determine that the EP7339 is booting a secure environment.

Automatic disabling of debug and other interfaces when the player is securely booting or operating in secure mode -- i.e. when the EP7339 detects the presence of a valid secure environment. This capability blocks hackers from accessing the internal portions of the chip where the private ID number and other secure information is stored. If the device detects a non-secure mode, then the security information is permanently hidden.

The InterTrust security kernel utilizes these capabilities to provide a secure environment for protecting content. Renewability is also provided for the security system through the addition of a unique mechanism for securely upgrading the InterTrust security software within each device. Not only is the security firmware upgradeable, but the firmware is also unique to each chip. Hence, if a hacker compromises the security on a single Maverick Lock-based music player, this breach cannot be used on other similar music players.

InterTrust Digital Rights Management

Digital rights management (DRM) technologies protect and manage rights and interests in digital information. InterTrust's DRM platform provides a common foundation for distributed e-commerce digital information and event management. In the content industry, this allows authors, publishers, enterprises, governments, users and others to specify, as appropriate, rules regarding the use of digital information, and the consequences resulting from such use.

InterTrust® technology is designed to protect digital information, apply rules persistently after information is distributed, and automate many e-commerce processes related to content use. InterTrust's DRM platform is general purpose and manages most media and content types, including music, publications, business information, video, games, software, and images. InterTrust DRM is enhanced by its use in the MetaTrust Utility, a non-discriminatory, policy neutral, global environment for digital commerce.

Note to Editors: Cirrus Logic is a registered trademark of Cirrus Logic Inc. Maverick and Maverick Lock are trademarks of Cirrus Logic Inc. InterTrust and DigiBox are registered trademarks of InterTrust Technologies Corporation, and the InterTrust logo, MetaTrust, MetaTrust Utility, OpenRights and MetaTrust-Certified are trademarks of InterTrust Technologies Corporation. All other product names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.