BackWeb Updates Client Software for Content Delivery Behind Firewalls

SAN JOSE, Calif., (March 3, 1997) -- BackWeb Technologies, a leading provider of Internet push broadcasting software, today announced an update to its client software that provides support for the HTTP protocol, so corporate users can receive BackWeb channel content behind firewalls. AOL users can also receive BackWeb channel broadcasts by using the HTTP client.

Last week, McAfee, a leading provider of network security software, announced Enterprise SecureCast, a BackWeb channel-based service for delivering its VirusScan software, virus signature updates and enterprise-enabled installation scripts to network administrators for secure deployment to end users within their organizations. Enterprise SecureCast uses BackWeb's new HTTP client to perform authenticated traversal through corporate firewalls.

BackWeb's client is free, downloadable software for users that gives them access to all BackWeb-enabled Internet or intranet broadcast channels. It works in the background to download content or software from any channel to which the user is registered. The client allows users to set their own preferences for what kind of information they will receive and when and how it should be shown. The new feature allows users to specify during installation or anytime during use whether they want to use BackWeb's Polite Agent or HTTP to communicate with channels. BackWeb's ground-breaking, UDP-based Polite Agent delivery technology doubles Internet users' bandwidth by sending content during their idle online time. HTTP is for users behind corporate firewalls who don't have access to communications that use the UDP protocol.

"Support for HTTP in the BackWeb client broadens the broadcast reach of our channel owners into the enterprise, while ensuring that corporations maintain security, and users have control over the content they receive via BackWeb channels," said Eli Barkat, CEO of BackWeb. "The Interactive Journal's channel is a perfect example of true personal Internet broadcasting that is good for business, by delivering a very personalized online daily newspaper in the background, through the firewall, to their subscribers' PC desktop applications."

About BackWeb Technologies
BackWeb Technologies is a leading offline Web software company. BackWeb extends the value of technology investments by offering mobile and remote employees offline access to portals, intranets and other Web-based applications and content. The company's products reduce network costs and improve the productivity of an increasingly mobile workforce. At the core of BackWeb's products is its patented Polite® synchronization technology that can distribute large amounts of data even over narrow bandwidth connections. BackWeb® customers include market leaders such as Boehringer Ingelheim, Centocor, Eastman Kodak, GE Healthcare, Guidant, HP, KLA Tencor, Lam Research, Pfizer and more than one hundred other companies. BackWeb also has strategic reseller alliances with software industry leaders: Plumtree, SAP and IBM. The company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. and Rosh Ha'ayin, Israel. For more information, visit www.backweb.com or call (800) 863-0100.

Statements in this news release, which are not purely historical, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Securities laws, including statements of beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Examples of these statements include, but are not limited to, the ability of BackWeb software to allow customers to gain mobile, disconnected use of their portals and help increase field sales and field service productivity, the integration of BackWeb software with BEA products will help developers extend portal applications for offline use without changing the way they work, and the ability of the resulting applications to help field sales and service organizations realize maximum productivity, cost savings, and process acceleration gains while disconnected from the network. Actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include unforeseen technological issues related to use of the BackWeb software, deployment issues related to implementation, unforeseen software errors, competitive factors and business and expense factors that may affect the perceived efficiencies from use of BackWeb's products, and the risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in BackWeb's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. BackWeb assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release.