news_HSBC Paraguay secures online retail and corporate customers with DIGIPASS GO 3

March 16, 2009

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Illinois and ZURICH, Switzerland March 16, 2009 - VASCO Data Security International Inc. (Nasdaq: VDSI; www.vasco.com), a leading software security company specializing in strong authentication products, today announced that leading bank HSBC Bank Paraguay secures both its retail and corporate customers with VASCO’s renowned DIGIPASS® technology and VACMAN® Controller authentication software.

HSBC Bank Paraguay is the principal HSBC operating company in Paraguay. The bank has 6 branches throughout the country providing a full range of banking and financial products and services, including commercial, consumer and corporate banking.

HSBC Bank Paraguay is the first bank in Paraguay to offer both its retail and corporate online customers a strong two-factor authentication solution and is the only bank in Paraguay to roll out DIGIPASS 2-factor authentication devices for retail customers.
DIGIPASS allows HSBC’s customers to securely log on to the bank’s e-banking application HSBC PC Banking to consult their account information make money transfers and manage their banking accounts from the comfort of their own home or office 24/7.
To protect their customers' accounts from unauthorized access, HSBC wanted to implement the highest security standard using best-of-breed solutions. Another important factor for a successful roll out was a high user acceptance. HSBC Paraguay turned to VASCO to implement a secure, straightforward and user-friendly authentication solution.

“VASCO is very pleased that a renowned bank as HSBC Bank Paraguay chose our strong authentication solutions to secure their online banking application,” said Jan Valcke, VASCO’s President and COO. “We want to congratulate HSBC for their security awareness and with their visionary approach to be the first bank in Paraguay to roll out 2-factor authentication to its retail customers. Combatting Internet fraud is an ongoing battle and HSBC Paraguay has proved that it can secure its end-users in a convenient and cost-effective way without having to compromise on security.”

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About HSBC:
Headquartered in London, HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world. HSBC's international network comprises around 10,000 offices in 83 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa.
With listings on the London, Hong Kong, New York, Paris and Bermuda stock exchanges, shares in HSBC Holdings plc are held by around 200,000 shareholders in some 100 countries and territories. Through an international network linked by advanced technology, including a rapidly growing e-commerce capability, HSBC provides a comprehensive range of financial services: personal financial services; commercial banking; corporate, investment banking and markets; private banking; and other activities.

About VASCO
VASCO is a leading supplier of strong authentication and e-signature solutions and services specializing in Internet Security applications and transactions. VASCO has positioned itself as global software company for Internet Security serving a customer base of over 8,000 companies in more than 100 countries, including more than 1,200 international financial institutions. VASCO’s prime markets are the financial sector, enterprise security, e-commerce and e-government.

Forward Looking Statements
Statements made in this news release that relate to future plans, events or performances are forward-looking statements. Any statement containing words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intend,” “mean,” and similar words, is forward-looking, and these statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations. Consequently, actual results could differ materially from the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements.

Reference is made to the Company's public filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for further information regarding the Company and its operations.

This document may contain trademarks of VASCO Data Security International, Inc. and its subsidiaries, which include VASCO, the VASCO “V” design, DIGIPASS, VACMAN, aXs GUARD and IDENTIKEY.

For more information contact:
Jochem Binst, +32 2 609 97 00, [email protected]