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VeriSign and Dun & Bradstreet Deliver Enhanced Confidence to Internet Customers
Dun & Bradstreet will use its global database of 64 million businesses to authenticate companies applying for VeriSign's new Shared Hosting Security Services
Mountain View, CA, and Murray Hill, NJ, August 20, 2001 - VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), the leading provider of Internet trust services, and Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE: DNB), the world's leading provider of business information, today announced an agreement that combines core strengths of both companies to support the delivery of VeriSign's new Shared Hosting Security Service. Under the agreement, Web businesses applying for the VeriSign service will automatically be authenticated by Dun & Bradstreet using the company's global database of over 64 million D-U-N-SŪ Numbered businesses.
Evidence of the authentication will be available to Internet customers in the form of VeriSign's Secure Site Seal that will be provided to all participating businesses for display on their Web site.
VeriSign's Shared Hosting Security Service provides Secure Server Layer (SSL) enabled certificates to ISPs and Web hosting companies that will share the certificates with their Web-based merchants. VeriSign's certificates provide authentication and encryption services that ensure that transactions via Web sites, such as credit card purchases, are secure.
"D&B is providing a valuable service to VeriSign as we enhance security for more Web-based businesses," said Ben Golub, vice president, VeriSign Web Trust Services. "When customers click on the VeriSign Secure Site Seal they will know that D&B has confirmed that a particular company exists."
"D&B's business authentication service is a critical component of VeriSign's Shared Hosting Security Service," said Larry Kutscher, president, D&B B2B E-Commerce. "This partnership demonstrates our commitment to play an important role in B2B e-commerce which is an important component of our Blueprint for Growth strategy."
VeriSign's server credentials have become an industry standard with more than 327,000 certificates deployed. However, customers of small to medium-sized Web hosted businesses have not previously benefited from the same security services available to larger companies hosting their own Web sites.
About VeriSign
VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN) is the leading provider of trusted infrastructure
services to Web sites, enterprises, electronic commerce service providers
and individuals. The company's Domain Name, digital certificate and
payment services provide the critical Web identity, authentication and
transaction infrastructure that online businesses require to conduct
secure e-commerce and communications. VeriSign's services are available
through its Web sites (www.verisign.com
and www.networksolutions.com)
or through its direct sales force and reseller partners around the world.
About D&B
Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE:DNB), the world's leading provider of business
information, has been enabling business-to-business commerce for 160
years. D&B's information and technology solutions help businesses
reduce credit risk, find profitable customers and manage vendors efficiently.
Businesses also use D&B's information and technology to authenticate
and verify potential trading partners online, increasing their trust
and confidence in e-commerce transactions. That's why so many companies
-- including over 90 percent of the Business Week Global 1000 -- rely
on D&B as the most trusted source for information they need to make
their business a success. For more information, please visit www.dnb.com.
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, VeriSign's limited operating history under its current business structure, uncertainty of future revenue and profitability and potential fluctuations in quarterly operating results, increased competition, risks associated with the company's international business and risks related to potential security breaches. 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, especially in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2001. VeriSign undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.
VeriSign is a registered trademark of VeriSign, Inc. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.