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VeriSign Enables Taxpayer Confidence in Tax Preparation and Free Electronic Filing Web Sites 

VeriSign SSL Certificates Help Ensure Secure Filings for Taxpayers through 90 Percent of IRS-Approved Tax Preparation Web Sites

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA. – April 5, 2005 - VeriSign, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRSN), the leading provider of intelligent infrastructure services for the Internet and telecommunications networks, today announced that a majority of tax preparation Web sites certified by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to offer free electronic filing in 2005 are being secured by VeriSign.  Web sites leveraging VeriSign services are protected by Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates that allow consumers to verify the level of security available on a tax preparation site prior to electronically filing their returns.

For the 2004 tax year, the IRS has extended free electronic tax filing to a larger range of taxpayers by delivering the service through 20 tax preparation Web sites, 90 percent of which are secured by VeriSign® SSL Certificates, while 80 percent display a VeriSign security seal.

By using VeriSign SSL Certificates, these Web sites have taken steps to protect sensitive taxpayer information and ensure secure payment processing.  Taxpayers can determine if a site is protected by VeriSign by looking for the VeriSign® Secured™ Seal, the industry’s most recognized and reliable trust mark.  If the VeriSign Secured Seal is not present, users can click on the closed padlock icon at the bottom of their Web browser to find security information.

“The presence of SSL-based security is an essential part of any Web exchange involving confidential information,” said Chad Kinzelberg, vice president, VeriSign Security Services. “VeriSign is a long-time leader in Web-based security and e-commerce transactions, and our participation in the protection of the IRS’s electronic filing process gives taxpayers a high degree of confidence when filing their tax returns online.”

SSL Certificates protect the transfer of sensitive data on Web sites, intranets, and extranets at a minimum of 40-bit encryption.  VeriSign certificates are used in a wide range of consumer e-commerce Web sites and their use is often denoted by the presence of the VeriSign Secured Seal.  VeriSign SSL certificates and the VeriSign Secured Seal help protect Web users against online threats, such as digital identity theft and fraud.

Display of the VeriSign Secured Seal on Web sites indicates use of a security solution from VeriSign that authenticates the identity of a user, secures the users’ payment processing, and protects sensitive customer information during online transactions.  Together, these facets of the VeriSign security solution can help protect consumers against many of the vulnerabilities on the Web.

“We display the VeriSign Secured Seal on our home page so our users can know they are protected from malicious activity when using our services,” said Carl Rhodes, Vice President of TaxSlayer.com. “Using VeriSign SSL Certificates, we can assure our customers that the personal and financial information they submit when electronically filing their taxes is fully protected.”

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 P. Lewis, brlewis@verisign.com, 650-426-4470 
VeriSign Investor Relations: Tom McCallum, tmccallum@verisign.com, 650-426-3744

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's SSL Certificates and the VeriSign Secured Seal; 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, 2004 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.

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