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Reseller, Integrator and Distribution Partners Expand Reach of Cost-Effective, Flexible VeriSign® Unified Authentication
SAN FRANCISCO, CA. – RSA Conference 2005 – February 14, 2005 – VeriSign, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRSN), the leading provider of intelligent infrastructure services for the Internet and telecommunications networks, today announced the launch of the VeriSign® Unified Authentication channel program, which will enable more Value Added Resellers and Systems Integrators to sell, market, and service the VeriSign Unified Authentication solution. Channel partners who take part in the program will expand the reach of VeriSign Unified Authentication to bring this cost effective, flexible and comprehensive strong authentication solution to businesses of all sizes, and to their customers.
“In order to confront the rise of network security threats and problems stemming from phishing and identity theft, VeriSign has taken an aggressive stance on lowering the total cost of ownership and increasing the widespread market adoption of strong authentication through standards leadership, as well as device and service innovation,” said Judy Lin, executive vice president and general manager, VeriSign Security Services. “The formation of the VeriSign Unified Authentication channel program is another critical step toward making cost-effective two-factor authentication available for users ranging from Fortune 1000 companies to small and medium-sized business.”
VeriSign Unified Authentication consists of a comprehensive software and services solution that provides a single, integrated platform for provisioning and managing all types of two-factor authentication credentials, including tokens and smartcards. By integrating with an enterprise’s existing directory and identity management architecture and leveraging the VeriSign highly-scalable validation infrastructure, VeriSign Unified Authentication dramatically reduces the complexity and cost of two-factor authentication.
Earlier today, VeriSign announced a series of enhancements, including new tokens and tighter integration with Microsoft Windows components. More information on those enhancements are available at: http://www.verisign.com/verisign-inc/news-and-events/news-archive/us-news-2005/page_028482.html
Channel partners will gain access and sales tools for the VeriSign Unified Authentication platform, providing their customer base with support for all facets of the strong authentication sales and deployment cycles. Additionally, they will be able to provide businesses of all sizes with vertical and product expertise, and flexible, bundled solutions that address their security needs in a cost effective manner.
Initial members of the VeriSign Unified Authentication channel program include technology partners, as well as resellers and systems integrators including: Aventail, Citrix, Dewpoint, Fiberlink, IBM, RBTi, Set Solutions, and Venafi, with additional partners to be announced in the coming months. Maria Cirino, senior vice president and general manager of the VeriSign Managed Security Services division, will head the channel program.
“The creation of a formal channel program for VeriSign Unified Authentication will better serve market demand for strong authentication, through a trusted network of technology partners, systems integrators and value added resellers,” said Cirino. “The combination of VeriSign technology expertise and brand, combined with the sales forces of the channel program’s partners, will go a long way in providing businesses of all sizes with a cost-effective and functional means to secure their networks, and protect their customers.”
For more information about the VeriSign Unified Authentication channel program, please visit VeriSign this week at the RSA Conference 2005, Booth #704.
About VeriSign
VeriSign, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRSN) operates intelligent infrastructure services
that enable businesses and individuals to find, connect, secure, and
transact across today’s complex global networks. Additional news and
information about the company is available at www.verisign.com.
For more information, contact:
VeriSign Media Relations: Brendan Lewis, brlewis@verisign.com,
650-426-4470
VeriSign Investor Relations: Tom McCallum, tmccallum@verisign.com,
650-426-3744
VeriSign Unified Authentication Channel Partner Program – Quote Sheet
Aventail Corp
“The VeriSign Unified Authentication program is a great extension
of our existing technology partnership with VeriSign and will further
simplify our customer’s buying experience and give our service provider
partners easier access to this best-of-breed security solution for which
there is high demand in the marketplace.”
-- Tom Claeys, General Manager, Aventail Managed Services.
Citrix
"As enterprises grow and adapt their IT infrastructures
to meet today's fast evolving business demands, they are faced with
a number of security challenges to provide efficient yet secure access
to business-critical applications. The VeriSign Unified Authentication
Channel Program helps partners work with customers to mitigate these
challenges by using cost-effective two-factor authentication that can
be combined with Citrix MetaFrame Password Manager to provide the highest
level of security to an organization's network. Citrix recognizes the
importance of such programs to promote deep security expertise among
partners and resellers, and we invite successful security integrators
using our combined solutions to join us in bringing affordable strong
authentication to a wider customer base."
-- David Jones, senior vice president, corporate development
at Citrix.
Dewpoint
"Dewpoint has partnered with VeriSign for several reasons,
including their commitment to fostering the development of an open standards
approach to strong authentication, such as those developed by the Initiative
for Open AuTHentication (OATH). The VeriSign Unified Authentication
platform provides strong authentication services for added security
across networks, devices and applications. The platform will allow
Dewpoint to provide an added level of security to our clients Identity
and Access Management initiatives"
-- Chris Guttridge, Directory of Technology, Dewpoint Inc.
Fiberlink
“Although using the Internet to facilitate mobile working provides significant
benefits for today's enterprises, it also introduces a variety of security
challenges. As such, we're continually searching for new solutions
to help our customers improve their security posture and prevent their
networks from being compromised by mobile workers. Through our
relationship with VeriSign, Fiberlink is able to provide our customers
with a cost-effective solution that delivers a high level of security,
thus ensuring appropriate access controls are in place to protect an
organization's network."
-- Bill Wagner, Chief Marketing Officer for Fiberlink.
IBM Global Services
"The increase in mobile workers has prompted the need for
comprehensive security enhanced identity solutions. Customers
can take advantage of VeriSign's Unified Authentication to help provide
greater control over their authentication processes, and benefit from
the convenience of two-factor protection without the burden of having
to manage the system and from the integration with the Tivoli Identity
Management suite."
-- Michel Bobillier, global offering executive, IBM Security
and Privacy Services, IBM Global Services.
RBTi
"RBTi joined the VeriSign Unified Authentication channel
program for several reasons, but perhaps chief among them is VeriSign’s
commitment to open standards as a means to drive down cost and enlarge
the overall market for strong authentication. We share with VeriSign
the vision for ubiquitous strong authentication across all networks,
devices, and applications set out by the Initiative for Open AuTHentication.
Working together we aim to drive much wider adoption for the added security
of strong authentication without the cost and complexity of old-fashioned
proprietary systems."
-- Paul Graffeo, Co-Founder, RBTi
Venafi
"Companies must securely scale their e-business operations as the
need and demand for direct access to customers, partners and suppliers
grows. Providing secure communications and access to information through
the use of digital certificates is key to streamlining and expanding
outside communications, without compromising network integrity. By deploying
VeriSign Unified Authentication alongside Venafi's digital certificate
management solutions, organizations establish and maintain appropriate
access controls, protect their critical data and systems and eliminate
the current time-consuming, manual process of certificate management
today."
--Paul Turner, vice president of marketing for Venafi
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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 risk that VeriSign’s announced strategic relationships, including the VeriSign Unified Authentication channel program, may not result in additional products, services, 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, 2003 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.