Epok a Semi-Finalist for 2008 Homeland Security Award

Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation selects EPOK as semi-finalist for 2008 Homeland Security Award

Bethesda, Maryland – July 1, 2008 –Epok Inc., a provider of federated access management software that allows organizations to securely extend application access across organizational boundaries, today announced that it has been selected as a semi-finalist for the 2008 Homeland Security Award. This award is sponsored by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation and will be presented by AgustaWestland.

The mission of the award is to promote and encourage “cutting edge” innovation in the vast arena of homeland security including but not limited to preventing, detecting or responding to threats from biological, radiological, nuclear, chemical and explosive attacks; border and transportation security; cyber security and information sharing, and emergency response to natural and man-made disasters.

Epok’s nomination was based on the cyber-security and information system it developed for the International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber-Terrorism (IMPACT). Epok’s software brings the power of commercial collaboration systems to the diverse participants who must work together to fight cyber-terrorism. Epok software is the foundation for IMPACT’s Global Response Center (GRC).

Epok’s system allows cyber-threat response managers to automate the process of establishing a response team, and to add globally distributed contributors based on threat expertise, industry expertise or geographic proximity to the source or target of a threat. Members of these teams automatically gain access to a Microsoft SharePoint team collaboration site with capabilities such as shared document repositories, discussion forums, scheduling functions, announcements, blogs and other tools the response team can use.

“Cyber-terrorists use sophisticated technologies to launch denial of service, malware and worm attacks against governments, companies and infrastructure, “ said Fred Giordano CEO of Epok. “Epok has developed an information sharing system that allows global experts to respond to threats within hours, instead of days or weeks. We are honoured that the Christopher Columbus Foundation has selected us as a semi-finalist for the 2008 Homeland Security Award.”

The 2008 Homeland Security Award winner receives $25,000.  The award will be presented in Washington D.C. on September 11, 2008.

Based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, Epok Inc. is a privately funded software company.  Epok’s federated access management software lets organizations securely extend application access across organizational boundaries leading to improved extranet flexibility, lower cost of operations, and enhanced compliance and security. Epok’s products are sold to commercial, government and non-profit organizations. For more information, please visit www.epok.net.

The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation is an independent Federal government agency established by Congress in 1992 to “encourage and support research, study and labor designed to produce new discoveries in all fields of endeavor for the benefit of mankind.”  The Foundation has created Frontiers of Discovery–Work in Progress and Discover the Future programs that honor “cutting edge” innovations; innovative ideas of America’s youth; and teachers who dedicate their lives to students despite great personal hardships.  For more information, please visit or contact Judi Shellenberger at (315) 258-0090.