The latest version of the Opera browser, a slimmed-down alternative to Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, has just been released, and, unlike them, it includes 128-bit encryption security.

Opera Software, based in Oslo, Norway, says version 3.5 of the browser also supports Java applets and many other features found in Navigator and Internet Explorer. Due to American encryption export restrictions, the international versions of Netscape and Microsoft browsers only support 40-bit encryption on so-called "secure connections". Security specialists say 40-bit codes can be broken relatively easily using powerful computers, while 128-bit codes would take thousands of years to break by brute force.

The Opera browser consumes roughly one megabyte of memory and one megabyte of disk space, many times less than its rivals, but unlike them, it is not free, costing $35. A 30-day "beta" evaluation copy may be downloaded from Opera's website (www.operasoftware.com).