More Than 400 Online Businesses Enhance Consumer
Safety with VeriSign Extended Validation SSL Certificates
Overstock.com, PayPal, and Travelocity among businesses to upgrade
site security to improve consumer confidence in online transactions
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – RSA CONFERENCE 2007 -- February 6, 2007 –
VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), the leading provider of intelligent infrastructure
for the networked world, today announced that more than 400 leading
companies have registered for its Extended
Validation (EV) SSL Certificates, which help protect users
against online fraudulent activity by providing third party verification
of a Web site’s authenticity. The certificates will allow businesses
such as Overstock.com, PayPal, Travelocity, and many others to provide
consumers with a visual cue – the "green" address bar in the
Windows Internet Explorer 7 Web browser – on Web pages where EV certificates
are deployed to help assure them the site they are visiting truly represents
the legitimate business it claims to be, and that their online transactions
will be safely encrypted.
VeriSign EV
SSL Certificates enable Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, running
on the Vista operating system, to indicate which sites have undergone
Extended Validation. Furthermore, VeriSign is offering EV Upgrader,
which enables all supported platforms of Internet Explorer 7, including
Windows XP, to display the same green address bar and other interface
enhancements that indicate a Web site’s identity has been verified.
The address bar in Internet Explorer 7 will also display the registered
organization’s name and the name of the EV SSL provider, which allows
site visitors to confirm the genuine name of the businesses with whom
they are interacting. VeriSign EV SSL Certificates are backward
compatible with all earlier browsers and operating systems that support
SSL.
“It takes an industry-wide effort to help protect
users and boost their confidence in sharing sensitive data online,”
said Gary Schare, director of Internet Explorer Product Management at
Microsoft Corp. “Internet Explorer 7 is the first browser to fully support
Extended Validation SSL Certificates, and we’re happy to be working
with VeriSign and other certification authorities to bring this solution
to users.”
EV Upgrader utilizes the VeriSign Secured Seal to
prompt the Internet Explorer 7 browser operating in Windows XP to safely
update its VeriSign SSL roots. The VeriSign Secured Seal is currently
displayed on over 65,000 Web properties and viewed by consumers over
100 million times per day. More information on the VeriSign Secured
Seal is available at www.verisignsecured.com.
"Our customers look to us to make their online
marketplace safer for their business and VeriSign's EV Certificates
help us in this effort by raising site identity awareness and building
consumer trust,” said Jacob Hawkins, senior vice president of Online
Marketing at Overstock.com. “Moreover, VeriSign's EV Upgrader
provides an easy pathway to the validation, confidence and recognition
that can set us apart in the marketplace."
"PayPal's number one focus is providing safe
payments for millions of customers worldwide," said Michael Barrett,
chief information security officer for PayPal Inc. "When customers
use a safe browser like IE7, EV certificates help inform them about
whether or not they are on a legitimate PayPal Web site before entering
sensitive personal or financial information."
“At Travelocity, we believe in providing our customers
with exceptional travel experiences, which starts when they book their
travel plans online,” said Victoria Treyger, vice president, Merchandising
and Product Marketing, Travelocity. “By using VeriSign EV certificates
we provide our customers with a strong level of security which we know
is critical in the online marketplace today.”
Pricing and Availability
Browser recognition of Extended Validation SSL certificates is active
in Microsoft Internet Explorer 7. VeriSign Secure Site Pro with EV combines
SGC (Server Gated Cryptography) for the best encryption protection and
Extended Validation for the industry’s most vigorous authentication
procedures. Secure Site Pro with EV retails for $1499 (1-year) and $2695
(2-year). For more information on VeriSign EV SSL, or to order
one, please go to: http://www.verisign.com/ssl/ssl-information-center/ie7-ssl-security/index.html.
"As the first SSL
provider to deliver EV certificates, VeriSign continues its commitment
to assuring consumers that their personal and financial information
is safe when transacting online," said Chris Babel, vice president,
SSL, VeriSign. "This commitment has made VeriSign the provider
of choice for over 93 percent of the Fortune 500, 47 of the biggest
e-commerce sites, and the world's 40 largest banks. We will continue
to work with Microsoft and our growing community of customers, partners,
and other industry peers to make online transactions safer for consumers
and businesses."
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
Contacts
VeriSign Media Relations: Brendan Lewis, brelewis@verisign.com,
650.426.5389
VeriSign Investor Relations: Ken Bond, kbond@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 Extended
Validation SSL Certificates; 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.
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