NetSTAR

TOKYO October 18th, 2006

NetSTAR Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Noboru Ogahara; hereinafter “NetSTAR”) announced that its “Internet malicious site blocking service for BB routers” (hereinafter “malicious site blocking service” *１) will be supported by the Aterm WR8200N high-speed wireless LAN router, which will be available from NEC and NEC AccessTechnica in early November.

Today, increasing number of homes have more than one PC connected to the Internet （*2）. Internet use from non-PC terminals, such as portable game consoles, is also expected to grow. NetSTAR has traditionally provided URL filtering for home users, as software packages that are installed onto a PC, or as services available via the ISP’s gateway. However, with the expected increase in the home use of the Internet, not only with PCs but also with portable game consoles and Internet appliances, the market has grown to anticipate broadband routers ? the gateway to home networks ? to serve as the single point of defense against connection to malicious sites. In response to such demand, NetSTAR and its partners have been working on developing an embedded URL filtering service, the result of which we present to you in the new NEC AccessTechnica’s Aterm series router.

We have received the following comment from Mr Hironaga Yatabe, a marketing division assistant manager at NEC AccessTechnica Ltd.:
“I am very happy to see our Aterm series routers working with NetSTAR’s malicious site blocking service. The decision point was the reliability of database at NetSTAR where sites are visually examined and categorized by 35 URL researchers everyday. The recent years have seen outstanding growths, both in terms of our Internet connection speed, and in terms of the available Internet devices. By using a router to single-handedly safeguard all Internet devices from malicious sites, we hope to achieve a safe Internet access environment, as well as improve security on the router itself.”

NetSTAR will continue to work with its partners to increase the availability of its embedded URL filtering service, in an effort to provide a safe and secure environment for all Internet users.

*1 Malicious site blocking service is officially recommended by the Japan national PTA association
*2 Source: “4th Survey of Internet Usage at Home”, NetSTAR, September 2006
( http://www.netstar-inc.com/press/press061011.html)

■ About NetSTAR Inc.
NetSTAR is one of the few Japanese companies specializing in the development of URL filtering engine, collection and categorizing of URL lists, and building and delivering of up-to-date URL databases. Its URL database is used for URL filtering products in both homes and offices, as well as by NTT DoCoMo and SoftBank Mobile for their URL filtering services. http://netstar.jp

■ Related Websites
Internet malicious site blocking service: http://gbb.netstar.jp
AtermStation: http://121ware.com/aterm/

■ Trademark Information
NetSTAR is a trademark or a registered trademark of NetSTAR Inc. Aterm is a registered trademark of NEC Corporation. All other product names and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.