Cummings Properties Media Release - December 8, 2008

Astaro U.S. HQ finds security in new location
Cummings Properties Media Release

Looking for increased financial security in a fluctuating global market, Astaro Corporation, an international internet security solutions firm, is moving its US headquarters from Burlington, MA to more than 15,000 square feet at 260 Fordham Road, Wilmington, MA.

After an extensive search for space, Astaro, which offers an all-in-one approach to network security, decided to lease with Cummings Properties, an all-in-one design, build and property management commercial real estate company.

Approximately 50 employees reportedly will be staffing Astaro's new corporate office. Nearly 120 other personnel work in the dual headquarters in Germany and other locations around the world.

According to company officials, more than 100,000 IT security experts in 60 countries entrust their networks with Astaro's Unified Threat Management (UTM) solutions. The company's UTM product line, Astaro Security Gateway, is available as software and hardware appliance. Astaro Security Gateway integrates network protection, web filtering and email security into an easy to use, web-based user interface.

The company, which was founded in 2000, has received numerous accolades. Inc.5000 listed Astaro as 39th in the 2008 Top 100 Businesses in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH area and16th in the top 2008 Security Companies nationwide.

In September, Astaro announced they had been awarded the Frost & Sullivan Technology Innovation of the Year Award for excellence in new products and technologies within its industry. In August, Windows IT Pro gave Astaro their 2008 Editor's Best Award for Astaro's Security Gateway product.

"Many businesses choose Astaro because they reportedly have one of the best price-performance ratios of all UTM solutions on the market," said Derek Cook, Cummings Properties' leasing director. "I'd like to think we have a similar reputation. Astaro chose us because of our highly flexible rates and full buildout offerings."

Carol Cote, Astaro's Director of Human Resources and office manager said, "We looked at numerous properties from Lexington to Wilmington. The space Cummings Properties showed us was perfect for our office and R&D needs and extremely affordable."

Debra Stevens of the Stevens Group represented Astaro in their search for space and in the lease negotiations. Cook represented Cummings Properties.

Cummings Properties owns and manages more than 80 buildings in 10 greater Boston communities. It leases nearly 10 million square feet of commercial space to more than 2,000 clients of all types and sizes.