Mr Fran Rooney, chief executive of Baltimore Technologies, has been given a strong incentive to try to improve Baltimore's languishing share price, with the award of more than 608,000 share options which can be exercised at 208p sterling a share.

The options have been granted to Mr Rooney under the group's 1999 share incentive plan which provides options subject to performance criteria being reached.

Meanwhile, Baltimore has expanded its Internet security business with the acquisition of Chubb Information Security from the British group Chubb for an undisclosed sum.

It is understood that Baltimore paid book value for Chubb Information Systems - in the region of £3 million sterling (#4.8 million).

Chubb Information Systems, which provides Internet security systems, will continue under the Chubb brand under a licence agreement with Baltimore.