ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA May 21, 2002 - The difference between control and chaos in the office could hinge on a single word that appears in a printed document. Increasing episodes of corporate-style spy vs. spy has senior management across all business and government sectors on high alert for workplace espionage that could place valuable information into the wrong hands.

Canon U.S.A., a subsidiary of Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), which already provides standard copy control and mailbox security features in every Canon imageRUNNER digital imaging system, now has developed enhanced network security capabilities and a security kit that provides data overwrite protection. When engaged properly, these security features help safeguard device access and documents, aiding in the protection of valuable customer information.

Developed in accordance with the most stringent security requirements of key customers and U.S. government agencies, the Canon imageRUNNER Security Kit concentrates on data overwrite protection in addition to standard device security and network/print protection. It will be on display at the Canon Digital Solution Forum taking place May 21-23 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

An option for all imagePlatform Architected Canon imageRUNNER models, the security kit will be available in July at a suggested list price of $750 per kit.

"If you look at these machines as just copiers or printers," said Dennis Amorosano, director and assistant general manager, Copier and Networked Office Systems Division, Canon U.S.A., Inc., "you first wonder if you really need security. Then you realize conventional office equipment now incorporates significant technology advances and capabilities that make all documents an integrated part of a corporate network that also involves the Intranet and Internet. Government agencies, corporations and non-profits increasingly are transitioning from traditional stand-alone machines to devices that integrate these functions and link them to corporate networks, raising a whole new era of information management and security issues.

"Our development of features within the Canon imageRUNNER product portfolio," added Mr. Amorosano, "is designed to help prevent data loss, help protect against unwanted device infiltration and help keep information from being compromised."

Office systems have many functions and features that are delivered through internal image servers responsible for data handling across all device functions. This architecture processes images written to the Image Server hard disk drive and RAM. Following job completion, a red alert security breach can occur when latent image data remains on the hard disk.

To address the possible loss of valuable data, the Canon imageRUNNER Security Kit permits internal software, as part of routine job processing tasks, to configure systems to randomly overwrite internal image server hard disks and erase previously stored data. Through the Security Kit, administrators can select varying levels of overwrite protection to meet desired requirements.

When combined with new network security capabilities, and the standard copy and mailbox security described below, the Canon imageRUNNER Security Kit delivers the ultimate Canon solution for information protection.

All Canon imageRUNNER products provide several security features as standard offerings. When shipped in base configurations as standalone digital copying machines, Canon products offer:

Copy Control Access - an embedded feature that permits device administrators to register up to 300 department and user identifications requiring password access. Device access is restricted without proper I.D. and password.

Restricting Device Setup Screens - password protected to ensure administrative device settings are not changed.

Mailbox Password Protection - up to 100 user mailboxes can be used for storage of scanned and printed data, integrating scanned and printed data, or for long-term document storage. Security is provided by locking access with administrative passwords and the ability to designate unique passwords for access of individual device mailboxes.

When used in networked configurations, the Canon imageRUNNER products offer the following enhanced standard security features:

Enabling/Disabling Protocols - specific device protocols and print applications can be enabled or disabled. Unwanted device communication and access to the system via specific transport protocols also can be disabled, limiting access to Canon imageRUNNER systems via only those protocols and print applications required.

Print Job Accounting - requires users to enter an administrator-defined password prior to printing to restrict device access to only authorized personnel.

Secure Print - requires the end user to enter a password prior to job release. When the machine receives a print job, the user must enter the job password to print. This ensures that the user is at the machine when the job is delivered.

Mailbox Printing - permits sending a job to an individual mailbox. Once stored in a password-protected mailbox, a user must enter a password to retrieve the job.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. In 2001, the Company was listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America, and was ranked #41 on the BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." Its parent company Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent-holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2001, with global revenues of $26 billion. Canon U.S.A. employs approximately 11,000 people at over 30 locations. For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.