Viisage Receives $1.7 Million Order to Continue Support of Department

    Business Editors/High-Tech Editors

    ARLINGTON, Va. & BILLERICA, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 24, 2005--

    Following Successful Implementation, Additional Order Builds Upon
    Existing Relationship with Telos and the DoD

    Viisage (Nasdaq: VISG), a leading provider of advanced technology identity solutions, today announced that it has received a new order for $1.7 million to continue to support the production of secure, smart credentials as part of the Common Access Card (CAC) program for the United States Department of Defense (DoD). The CAC program, which has more than four million users across the DoD, is widely regarded as the largest and most advanced use of smart cards, and has been recognized with major industry awards. This order follows the initial order for the CAC program announced in May 2004.
    Viisage received the order through Telos Corporation, one of the major support contractors to the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), the organization inside DoD responsible for implementation of the CAC program. The contract calls for additional consumables and services for the ongoing production of the CAC secure identification cards throughout the agency's Real-time Automated Personnel Identification System (RAPIDS). First implemented in 2004, this solution employs the most advanced, secure and counterfeit-resistant card printing system available, including pigment ink technology, which resists fading of images and barcodes, even under the most severe conditions.
    With over 4.4 million cards in circulation, the CAC program smart card technology maintains critical identity information to grant individuals varying privileges. DoD uniformed duty employees, qualified reserve personnel, DoD civilians, and authorized contractors use these standard identification cards to gain physical access to secure areas and logical access to the DoD's computer networks. The card also serves as the authentication token for the DoD's computerized public key infrastructure. The future DMDC roadmap for the program includes expanded use of biometrics and movement toward a contactless smart card.
    "This additional order for the CAC program demonstrates the value we have delivered to our partner Telos and the DoD over the past year. We are delighted that both relationships continue to grow and thrive," said Bernard Bailey, Viisage president and CEO. "The use of smart cards in the DoD demonstrates how managing identity using advanced technologies provides both security and operational efficiencies. As such, the CAC program provides other countries and organizations seeking similar solutions with a successful model to follow."

    About Viisage

    Viisage (NASDAQ: VISG) delivers advanced technology identity solutions for governments, law enforcement agencies and businesses concerned with enhancing security, reducing identity theft, and protecting personal privacy. Viisage solutions include secure credentials such as passports and drivers' licenses, biometric technologies for uniquely linking individuals to those credentials, and credential authentication technologies to ensure the documents are valid before individuals are allowed to cross borders, gain access to finances, or granted other privileges. With over 3,000 installations worldwide, Viisage's identity solutions stand out as a result of the Company's industry-leading technology and unique understanding of customer needs. Viisage's product suite includes FaceTOOLS(R) SDK, Viisage PROOF(TM), FaceEXPLORER(R), iA-thenticate(R), BorderGuard(R), FacePASS(TM) and FaceFINDER(R).

    This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this document and those made from time to time by Viisage through its senior management are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to the future events or financial performance discussed in this release, based on management's beliefs and assumptions and information currently available. When used, the words "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "project", "should", "expect", "plan", "assume" and similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements concerning future plans or results are necessarily only estimates and actual results could differ materially from expectations. Certain factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among other things, the size and timing of contract awards, performance on contracts, availability and cost of key components, unanticipated results from audits of the financial results of the Company and acquired companies, changing interpretations of generally accepted accounting principles, outcomes of government reviews, potential fluctuations in quarterly results, dependence on large contracts and a limited number of customers, lengthy sales and implementation cycles, market acceptance of new or enhanced products and services, proprietary technology and changing competitive conditions, system performance, management of growth, dependence on key personnel, ability to obtain project financing, general economic and political conditions and other factors affecting spending by customers, the unpredictable nature of working with government agencies and other risks, uncertainties and factors including those described from time to time in Viisage's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation, Viisage's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 and its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Viisage expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

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CONTACT: Viisage Maureen Todaro, 978-932-2438 mtodaro@viisage.com or PAN Communications Tara Murray, 978-474-1900 viisage@pancomm.com

KEYWORD: VIRGINIA MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: LEGAL/LAW HARDWARE SOFTWARE AEROSPACE/DEFENSE GOVERNMENT SOURCE: Viisage

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