VeriSign Combats Online Fraud with New Digital
Brand & Fraud Protection Services
Services Helps Companies Protect Revenue and Preserve Consumer Confidence
by Proactively Responding to Phishing, Trademark Infringement and Counterfeiting
Activities
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, December 12, 2006 — VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:
VRSN), the leading provider of intelligent infrastructure for the networked
world, today launched a suite of new Digital
Brand and Fraud Protection services. The services help
organizations detect, prioritize and rapidly respond to suspicious activities
on Web sites, blogs, online user communities, and other sources that
can damage brand equity and consumer confidence.
“Brand equity and reputation, which can be valued
at billions of dollars for well known companies, can easily be compromised
by online fraud, negative opinions, trademark infringement and improper
logo usage,” said Mike Denning, vice president and general manager,
VeriSign Digital Brand Management Services. “For the first time,
companies can protect revenue and their brands by rapidly responding
to incidents in near real time. Our new Brand and Fraud Protection
Services provide marketing, legal and IT professionals with actionable
brand protection and management solutions to detect and counter any
unauthorized or improper online activity that could damage their brand
image and lead to lost revenues.”
“Firms have to ensure that their brand integrity remains
consistent both online and offline,” writes Mike Rasmussen, vice president,
Forrester Research. “Malicious attacks or internal negligence can lead
to compromised customer privacy, inconsistent company communications,
or inaccurately published information that ultimately harms the firm's
overall brand and online presence.”1
With the proliferation of online fraud such as phishing
and typo squatting, protecting brands online has become increasingly
more important for enterprise companies. According to the Anti-Phishing
Working Group (APWG), the number of distinct spoof Web sites rose 52
percent in October 2006 to a record-shattering of 37,444, up from 24,565
a month earlier.
VeriSign’s Brand and Fraud Protection Services are
accessed through a Web-based portal that supports legal, marketing and
IT departments by allowing comprehensive global management of a corporation’s
brand and reputation online. The portal enables multiple groups within
a company to maintain brand consistency by providing highly relevant
detection, prioritization and analysis of brand abuses.
VeriSign Brand and Fraud Protection Services enable
companies to:
- Detect and
Respond to Online Phishing Attacks - Anti-phishing services monitor
email spam, Web sites and domain names and images to detect attempted
phishing activity and enable rapid response.
- Track Counterfeit
Goods - Counterfeit good services monitor targeted sources for
the presence of leaked information, locations that facilitate fraud,
or the sale or distribution of imitation or grey market products.
- Monitor Online
Affiliates – Affiliate management services monitor Web sites and domain
names to ensure online partners are in compliance with licensing terms
and are displaying logos and content properly.
- Protect Online
Reputation – Reputation management services detect and prioritize incidents
related to trademark infringement, copyright violations, negative sentiment
and unauthorized logo use.
About VeriSign
VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), operates intelligent infrastructure services
that enable and protect billions of interactions every day across the
world’s voice and data networks. Additional news and information about
the company is available at www.verisign.com.
For more information, contact:
VeriSign Media Relations: Rufus Manning, rmanning@verisign.com,
703-948-4126
VeriSign Investor Relations: Nancy Fazioli, ir@verisign.com,
650- 426-5146
Forward-Looking Statement
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 Digital Brand
Manager 8.1; 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, 2005 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.
VeriSign and other
trademarks, service marks and logos are registered or unregistered marks
of VeriSign, Inc. and its subsidiaries in the United States and in foreign
countries. Copyright © 2006 VeriSign, Inc. All rights reserved.
(1) Forrester, Understanding
and Mitigating Online Risks, Mike Rasmussen, April 13, 2006.
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