Advanced Metering Infrastructure Appliances from Certicom Enable Strong Encryption and Key Management Functionality for OpenWay®

MISSISSAUGA, ON – (September 4, 2008) – Certicom Corp. (TSX: CIC) today announced a new partnership with Itron (NASDAQ: ITRI), a leading technology provider to global energy and water industries, to offer strong authentication and enhanced security for Itron’s industry-leading advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system, OpenWay. 

Based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), Certicom’s new AMI 7000® series of meter communication encryption and key management appliances will integrate with OpenWay, securing end-to-end network messages from the OpenWay Collection Engine down to the OpenWay CENTRON® meter.

The security architecture inherent to OpenWay, combined with Certicom signing and encryption capabilities, is designed to meet the two-way command and control needs for AMI and Smart Grid network platforms. It provides strong integrity of control, non-repudiation, availability and confidentiality.

“Itron is dedicated to providing the most robust security available to protect our utility customers and their end users,” said Russ Vanos, vice president of marketing for Itron. “Certicom’s infrastructure offers unparalleled network and metering system security, further enhancing our energy management and measurement technologies as we work toward development of the Smart Grid.” 

The Certicom AMI platform is tightly integrated into the OpenWay Collection Engine, leveraging its open-standards and solid two-way communications capability. The interval data collection and mass market demand response functionality of OpenWay and OpenWay-compatible meters are secured by Certicom's meter security agent. The agent also provides a protected communications pathway into the home via ZigBee Smart Energy devices, and back to the headend via the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) C12.22 meter data management protocol. It uses AES-128 equivalent strength encryption to secure all sensitive data and keying material.

Other features include:
•    Designed to meet NERC CIP requirements
•    Designed to adhere to NSA Suite B requirements
•    Uses FIPS 197 approved encryption algorithms
•    Uses FIPS 186-2 approved signature algorithms
•   Uses FIPS 180-2 approved hashing algorithms
•    Provides digital signatures for strong message authentication
•    Provides key management and key rollover events
•    Meets FIPS 140-2 Level 3 for cryptographic modules 

“We are pleased the leading AMI provider has partnered with Certicom to offer its customers an enhanced, highly secure AMI system,” said Karna Gupta, Certicom. “Our new AMI security appliances offer Itron customers’ peace of mind that their network and metering data is always protected.”

About Certicom’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure Solutions 
Certicom AMI 7100 and 7200® platforms are rack mountable appliances designed to meet the most stringent Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) requirements for AMI equipment. AMI 7100 and AMI 7200 support large-scale deployments where security performance and robustness are critical. This includes the management of critical system keys and strong authentication of demand response events using powerful, efficient ECC.

About OpenWay by Itron
OpenWay by Itron is a new-generation, open-architecture advanced metering solution that provides full two-way communication to enable a utility’s smart grid as well as a built-in communications pathway to the meter or other smart grid device that is fully compliant with the ANSI C12.22 protocol for transport of device data over a network. OpenWay delivers operational efficiency, empowers all customers to participate in energy management and conservation, and supports smart energy transmission and distribution grids. The OpenWay system remains independent of any particular communications technology. This means multiple transport technologies, including mobile networks, can be seamlessly integrated into a single system to deliver the best combination of reliability and cost effectiveness.

About Certicom
Certicom manages and protects the value of content, applications and devices with government-approved security. Adopted by the National Security Agency (NSA) for government communications, Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) provides the most security per bit of any known public-key scheme. As the global leader in ECC, Certicom’s security offerings are currently licensed to hundreds of multinational technology companies, including IBM, General Dynamics, Motorola, Oracle and Research In Motion. Founded in 1985, Certicom’s corporate offices are in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada with worldwide sales and marketing headquarters in Reston, Virginia and offices in Europe and Asia. Visit www.certicom.com.

About Itron Inc.
Itron Inc. is a leading technology provider to the global energy and water industries. Itron Inc. consists of Itron in North America and Actaris outside of North America. Our company is the world’s leading provider of metering, data collection and utility software solutions, with nearly 8,000 utilities worldwide relying on our technology to optimize the delivery and use of energy and water. Our products include electricity, gas and water meters; data collection and communication systems, including automated meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI); meter data management and related software applications; project management, installation, and consulting services. To know more, start here: www.itron.com.

Certicom Safe Harbor Statement

Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information includes information concerning Certicom's future financial performance, business strategy, plans, goals and objectives. When used in such documents, the words "plans", "expects", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "will", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases often, but not always, identify forward looking statements. Factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: the ability of Certicom to successfully implement its strategic initiatives and whether such strategic initiatives will yield the expected benefits; the ability of Certicom to develop, promote and protect its proprietary technology security breaches or defects in Certicom's products; competitive conditions in the businesses in which Certicom participates; changes in consumer spending; the outcome of legal proceedings as they arise; general economic conditions and normal business uncertainty; consolidation in Certicom's industry and by its customers; customer preferences towards product offerings; the risk that customers may cancel their contracts with Certicom; reliance on a limited number of customers; demand for ECC-based technology; performance of Certicom's management team and Certicom's ability to attract and retain skilled employees; operating Certicom's business profitably; fluctuations in revenue and foreign currency exchange rates; interest rate fluctuations and other changes in borrowing costs; the ability to develop and maintain strategic relationships; and other factors identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in Certicom's annual information form dated July 21, 2008 and filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

For further information, please contact: