News & Events

VeriSign Opens APIs to Spotlight Simplicity of Deploying Two-Factor Authentication

New Program Gives Developers Chance to Test Drive VeriSign® Identity Protection (VIP)

RSA CONFERENCE, San Francisco – April 7, 2008 –With the world’s IT security experts convening here this week to evaluate the latest weapons against identity theft, a new pilot program will show how easy it is to deploy a layer of protection that goes beyond standard secure log-ins.

VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), the trusted provider of Internet infrastructure services for the networked world, today unveiled the VeriSign Identity Protection (VIP) Test Drive for Developers program. The new program is aimed at developers and enterprise IT organizations interested in integrating their online applications with two-factor authentication. 

The VIP Test Drive for Developers program provides access to VIP APIs – the same APIs used in real-world deployments – for use in a pilot environment. By making the API to the VIP Authentication Service available through a free download, developers can quickly evaluate how easy it is to enable their own applications for two factor authentication using the VIP Authentication Service.

The VIP Authentication Service is a two-factor authentication service fully hosted by VeriSign. It is based on open standards, such as OATH, and enables a wide choice of credential form factors. Online business giants such as eBay and PayPal rely on the VIP Authentication Service to build an additional layer of authentication into online transactions. The VIP Authentication Service uses a special security credential that provides Internet users with a unique six digit security code for every transaction. During an online transaction, this security code is entered into a user interface with other information (such as user name and password), achieving two-factor authentication. 

The VIP Authentication Service is deployed on a trusted and shared network, which allows consumers to use a single security device to authenticate themselves across any VIP-enabled Web site. This makes it more convenient for end users to adopt two-factor authentication. While other stand-alone, two factor authentication solutions incur high initial costs and high infrastructure maintenance fees, VIP is easy and less costly for companies to implement and maintain.  By leveraging a shared security and logistics infrastructure, VIP also makes it simpler and more cost-effective for companies with extensive online presence to implement stronger authentication.

“Two-factor authentication is rapidly gaining momentum as a powerful added protection to thwart identity thieves and online fraud,” said Kerry Loftus, vice president of consumer authentication at VeriSign. “The most popular question IT departments ask about VIP is, ‘Can it really be that simple to deploy two-factor authentication?’ As the VIP Test Drive for Developers program will show, the answer to that question is yes.”

“The VIP Test Drive for Developers program should further strengthen VeriSign’s position in consumer authentication, a market that is poised to take off this year,” said Sally Hudson, IDC’s research director of security products and services. “VeriSign's strengths include its trusted brand name for online security and its track record in operating successfully in a scaleable Internet-driven networking environment. These factors are extremely important in the growing consumer market, which will increasingly demand stronger authentication and seamless connectivity between online sites.  Organizations that maintain online channels for consumers can benefit from the ease of joining the network, which has potential to lower costs while increasing online revenue streams.  The VIP Test Drive for Developers program will serve to highlight the ease of integrating consumer authentication with online applications.”

Developers or enterprise IT personnel interested in participating in the VIP pilot program can download VIP Services APIs, which are now available at http://vipdeveloper.verisign.com. Pilot participants can work with the APIs to test how VIP integrates and operates with their transaction processing systems and online applications, and can even test interoperability with other pilot program participants.

VeriSign supports a wide range of authentication credentials, including stand-alone tokens such as the PayPal Security Key, software tokens for mobile phones, and a credit card size form factor via Innovative Card Technologies’ DisplayCard. In addition, VeriSign supports an Internet Explorer browser plug-in that enables consumers to access VIP credentials from their desktop.

Today’s announcement comes on the heels of last week’s launch of the VeriSign Identity Protection Quick Start program, an initiative designed to accelerate adoption of two-factor authentication by emphasizing the consumer convenience of a shared authentication network such as the VIP Network. Through the program, which runs through Sept. 30, VeriSign will provide up to 5,000 free credentials to each new enterprise that joins the VIP Network.  For more information about the Quick Start Program, please call 650-426-5310 or go to www.verisign.com/quickstart

About VeriSign   
VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN) is the trusted provider of Internet infrastructure services for the networked world. Billions of times each day, VeriSign helps companies and consumers all over the world engage in communications and commerce with confidence. Additional news and information about the company is available at www.verisign.com.

Contacts 
Media Relations: Christina Rohall, crohall@verisign.com, 650-426-5219 
Investor Relations: Nancy Fazioli, ir@verisign.com, 650-426-5146

Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause VeriSign's actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, the uncertainty of future revenue and profitability and potential fluctuations in quarterly operating results due to such factors as the inability of VeriSign to successfully develop and market new products and services and customer acceptance of any new products or services, including VeriSign Identity Protection Services, the possibility that VeriSign’s announced new services may not result in additional customers, profits or revenues; and increased competition and pricing pressures. More information about potential factors that could affect the company's business and financial results is included in VeriSign's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. VeriSign undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.

©2008 VeriSign, Inc. All rights reserved. VeriSign, the VeriSign logo, the checkmark circle, and other trademarks, service marks, and designs are registered or unregistered trademarks of VeriSign, Inc., and its subsidiaries in the United States and in foreign countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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