VeriSign and MindSpring Make it a Matter of Trust

VeriSign, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRSN), a provider of online trust services, and Internet service provider (ISP) MindSpring Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSPG) have announced a strategic partnership to promote e-commerce through an enhanced secure online business offering.

MindSpring Biz, the focal point of the new agreement, will offer a suite of e-commerce and Web hosting services that feature VeriSign’s security offerings. According to a MindSpring Biz statement, VeriSign has been designated as the “Preferred Provider of Internet Trust Services,” providing Global 128-bit Web site digital certificate services to new and existing customers.

“Securing communications and transactions over the Internet is mission-critical to the success of small businesses with online storefronts,” commented Chris Atkins, director of Product Marketing for MindSpring Biz. “Integrating digital certificates from VeriSign, the industry-leading provider of trust services, allows us to support our business customers’ e-commerce initiatives seamlessly.”

Keeping the World Safe for E-Commerce

Digital certificates, offered to business customers through the VeriSign-enhanced MindSpring Biz program, enable encrypted communications over the Internet between servers and browsers. VeriSign’s Secure Site ISP Program, involved in the new partnership, enables the spectrum of small to large online businesses to utilize digital certificate services for safe e-commerce and enterprise offerings. Certificate technology utilizes the power of cryptography, a data scrambling technique that experts feel maintains the integrity of e-commerce transactions.

“We’re pleased to partner with MindSpring Biz as it brings a whole new range of e-commerce services to market,” stated Anil Pereira, vice president of the Internet Services unit for VeriSign. “The integration of VeriSign’s Secure Site services with MindSpring’s premier Web hosting offerings affords businesses of all sizes the ability to deploy state-of-the-art Web sites at Internet speed.”

VeriSign works with both enterprises and individuals to secure e-commerce and communications over IP networks. MindSpring Biz is a provider of small businesses-related Web solutions including design, e-commerce and hosting services.

Are You Down With Crypto?

VeriSign will also be jointly marketing secure e-commerce solutions through an agreement announced this week with Security Dynamics Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDTI). Under the terms of the new sales and marketing agreement — which builds upon an established strategic relationship between the companies — Security Dynamics will bundle its Keon security applications services with VeriSign’s OnSite managed trust service.

“With this agreement, OnSite customers now can leverage the application integration, encryption and single sign-on features offered by Keon,” stated Stratton Sclavos, president and CEO of VeriSign. “In addition, the integration between our OnSite managed trust services and the Keon suite of security applications makes it even easier for enterprises to plug into a PKI backbone and rapidly secure their e-commerce applications.”

VeriSign and Security Dynamics will coordinate sales and distributions efforts, and will provide customer education and training. Security Dynamics is a provider of enterprise network and data security solutions.