NEW YORK, NY - PC Expo, Booth 402 - June 17, 1997 - CyberMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ/NMS: CYBR) announces a free beta version of PC Guard Dog (tm), the first comprehensive personal Internet security and privacy software product designed for Windows 95(r) PC users. Acting like a software "guard at the door", PC Guard Dog takes a bite out of "cookies," protects Internet users against rogue Java or Active-X application attacks, blocks stealth e-mail, and stops viruses and intruders in their tracks.

Originally announced on April 29, 1997 under the project name "CyberWall", this innovative utility has now been officially named "PC Guard Dog" - echoing it's role as a computer companion that guards Internet users and the information in their PCs from intruders.

The beta will be available for download, free of charge, beginning June 23 from CyberMedia's web site. The final version will ship to U.S. retail stores in September for an estimated U.S. street price well under $100, including the product itself and a renewable one-year online update subscription.

Consumer Privacy at Risk

Individual users are increasingly concerned about the security of the information stored on their PCs, as well as the privacy of their Internet correspondence. Some users are also worried that businesses can learn about their purchasing habits or other personal information, and then use this to blitz them with targeted advertising and "junk" mail.

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission hosted hearings in response to complaints by privacy advocates that personal information is gathered and used by online operators without user consent or knowledge, and a recent survey by the Georgia Institute of Technology found that privacy is the second-most concern of Web users, topped only by worries over censorship.

"It's clear that the Internet-borne security threats posed by hackers, and concerns about privacy have escalated to a point where every user must now take action," says CyberMedia CEO Unni Warrier. "But until now, only large corporations could afford to safeguard their data with Internet "firewalls." PC Guard Dog is the first affordable, comprehensive Internet security and privacy product for the mass market."

Try It for Free for 90 Days

This free public beta is modeled after the successful public beta testing program that CyberMedia used to launch Oil Change(tm), it's best-selling, award-winning automatic update software product. The pre-release version of PC Guard Dog will expire as the final, shipping version emerges, when CyberMedia will offer a substantial discount to encourage people who participated in the public beta testing program to become owners of the final retail version.

Comprehensive Privacy and Security
PC Guard Dog is the first consumer software product that protects PCs from Internet threats to system security and user privacy. It keeps systems secure by protecting data from Java and Active-X (Web programming language) applet attacks, "Trojan Horses" (disruptive programs that hide inside benign software) and viruses that can arrive in e-mail attachments and downloaded files.

PC Guard Dog also safeguards a user's personal privacy by intercepting and blocking any attempts to obtain sensitive information from a PC by silently redialing modems, or by stealthily sending e-mail. PC Guard Dog selectively controls "cookies" (nuggets of information that can be planted into a user's PC and be used without their knowledge to track personal data) to prevent businesses from tracking a user's web surfing habits, keeps search requests from being broadcast all over cyberspace, and grooms web surfing files and cache files so snoopers can't see where a user has been surfing.

PC Guard Dog users are always protected from new Internet threats as they emerge because it uses CyberMedia's Oil Change (tm) automatic update technology to effortlessly update the software with fixes for new problems by tapping into CyberMedia's exclusive, continually updated ActiveHelp knowledge base.

About CyberMedia

CyberMedia's mission is to empower computer users to fix computer problems on their own, before they need to call technical support hotlines for help. It is the leading supplier of automatic service and support solutions for PC users; the company's ActiveHelp product line includes First Aid(r), Oil Change(tm), UnInstaller(tm), PC Guard Dog(tm) and the Tech Support Yellow Pages.

CyberMedia products are distributed through more than 10,000 retail stores in the United States, including WalMart and CompUSA. They are also distributed internationally in Germany, Canada, Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Australia. CyberMedia products are also available from OEM distribution partners, including AST, Sony, Fujitsu, Packard Bell-NEC and Phoenix Technologies. They are also available for sale on the Internet through leading online resellers as well as the CyberMedia web site. Founded in 1991, CyberMedia (NASDAQ:CYBR) employs more than 220, with company headquarters in Santa Monica, CA and offices in San Jose, CA. For additional information contact CyberMedia, Inc., 3000 Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405; phone (310) 581-4700; fax (310) 581-4720; e-mail info@cybermedia.com or visit the CyberMedia web site.