NTT Communications Adopts Tumbleweed Communications' Integrated Messaging Exchange

Tumbleweed's secure communications solution to be incorporated in NTT Communications' new e-commerce platform service

REDWOOD CITY, CA - December 19, 2000 - Tumbleweed® Communications Corp. (Nasdaq:TMWD), a leading provider of secure Internet messaging services for on-line business transactions, announced today that NTT Communications, one of Japan's largest communications firms, has adopted its Integrated Messaging Exchange™ (IME™) platform as part of the new comprehensive system for secure Internet transactions that NTT Com will launch in 2001.

Tumbleweed IME is a platform and set of applications for creating secure email channels between a business and its customers, partners and suppliers. The new platform service being offered by NTT Com is planned to allow all Internet users to apply for services and conduct transactions on the Internet easily and with a high degree of security.

Following from the development of IT, exchange of contracts over the Internet will become commonplace. A system will be required that is capable of avoiding problems at the time of contract exchange and of allowing inspection of the contracts afterwards. NTT Com is planning to develop a system that will guarantee these types of transactions.

"NTT Com is developing a broad reaching set of services that will redefine how business is done on the Internet," said Jeffrey C. Smith, president and CEO, Tumbleweed Communications Corp. "We look forward to working with NTT Communications to create secure communications channels for their broad range of customers and partners."

Backed by Tumbleweed's enabling software, IME 4.06J, NTT Com's new service will support a wide variety of schemes. Tumbleweed IME will enable a full suite of communications services, take advantage of the platform's highly secure nature, such as electronic payment confirmations and secure document storage.

About Tumbleweed Communications Corp.
Tumbleweed is a leading provider of solutions for managing secure communication and collaboration to enable the business Internet. Tumbleweed's robust policy-based framework empowers organizations to safely share and protect critical information, increase customer loyalty and privacy and dramatically reduce costs. Tumbleweed is trusted by 1,000 blue-chip customers including American Express, Chevron, Datek Online, the European Union's Joint Research Council, First Union Wachovia, John Deere, Merrill Lynch, Nike, Northern Trust, NTT, Salomon Smith Barney, Travelers and US Food and Drug Administration. One hundred of the Fortune 500 are Tumbleweed customers. Tumbleweed Communications was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Redwood City, Calif., with offices around the world.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, particularly with respect to the security features of Tumbleweed's products and the activities of any third party. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions. For further cautions about the risks of investing in Tumbleweed, we refer you to the documents Tumbleweed files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly Tumbleweed's Form 10-K filed March 30, 2001 and Form 10-Q filed November 13, 2001. Tumbleweed assumes no obligation to update information contained in this press release.