Internet Security Systems (ISS) Earns Prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Certification

      First Enterprise Security Company Certified Globally for Superior Service
and Support Excellence

SAN DIEGO , December 8, 2005 – J.D. Power and Associates and the Service & Support Professionals Association (SSPA) today announced that Internet Security Systems (ISS) has been certified globally for delivering superior technology service and support for its enterprise security solutions. ISS is also the first enterprise security company to earn certification under the new J.D. Power and Associates Certified Technology Service and Support (CTSS) program jointly developed with the SSPA.

The certification recognizes ISS as an industry-leading provider of outstanding service experience for its enterprise security products, and was based on the successful completion of a detailed audit of ISS service and support business processes on a wide range of industry best practices criteria including business strategy, talent management, tools and technology, as well as all components of its service delivery and other key service metrics.

“ISS has earned this prestigious global certification because they meet and, in many cases, exceed the comprehensive standards defined in the CTSS program,” said Bill Rose, founder & executive director, SSPA. “We are very pleased to include ISS as one of the charter participants in the CTSS program. We designed the program so that it could be adapted to a broad variety of technology companies.”

J.D. Power and Associates also measured ISS service excellence by surveying customers who recently received technical support and ISS exceeded the threshold for certification in all survey categories. For certification status, J.D. Power and Associates requires a company to perform within the top 20 percent of technology support organizations based on cross-industry customer satisfaction research.

“With the successful completion of the global certification process, ISS has demonstrated a strong commitment to providing customers with a consistent, positive experience across its technical service and support operation that underscores our philosophy that customer interactions with technical service and support can have a profound and lasting impact on overall customer satisfaction and loyalty,” said Vafa Akhavan, executive director of diversified solutions at J.D. Power and Associates.

"ISS is committed to a level of excellence in the way we serve our customers,” said Tom Noonan, president and CEO of Internet Security Systems. “By focusing on continuous improvement and engaging independent auditors to evaluate our customer processes and satisfaction, ISS is raising the bar in what customers can expect from technical support operations. Recognition from J.D. Power and Associates demonstrates that ISS has met or exceeded the high standards set for world-class technology service and support organizations. By attaining the J.D. Power and Associates CTSS certification, ISS is assuring customers that we are serious about the quality of service we provide to them on a daily basis.”

The CTSS program was jointly developed by J.D. Power and Associates and the SSPA earlier this year, with the official program launching last month. The CTSS program features a unique certification structure that lets companies with different business models apply for certification under those modules that are relevant to their business. Under the program design, all companies will be required to be certified across a common set of core criteria. Companies will also be certified for additional service and support criteria – Assisted Support, Non-Assisted Support, Field and Depot Service – based on the way they deliver their services. In addition, the program will accommodate certification for companies who deliver their services through a services outsourcer or channel partner.

Queries about the J.D. Power and Associates Certified Technology Service & Support program can be made by calling 1-858-674-5491 or visiting www.thesspa.com.

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting, training and customer satisfaction. The firm’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers and businesses annually. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.