VeriSign and ActivCard Team to Deliver Seamlessly Integrated, Next-Generation Solution for Two-Factor Authentication
Token and Smart Card Authentication, Coupled With VeriSign's Managed PKI Service, Provide Enterprises & Carriers With Strong Solutions to Protect E-Business Applications
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- VeriSign, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRSN - news), the worldwide leader in providing digital trust services, and ActivCard (Nasdaq: ACTI - news), the leading provider of smart card and digital identity provisioning products and technology, today announced a strategic alliance to deliver seamlessly integrated, strong two-factor authentication solutions for enterprises, service providers, government agencies and smart card manufacturers engaged in wire line and wireless e-commerce.
The alliance will combine ActivCard's leading two-factor authentication solution, which can be embedded in a variety of devices, with VeriSign's award-winning managed public key infrastructure (PKI) service. The integrated solution will protect valuable enterprise network resources, providing maximum assurance that only authorized users can access corporate e-mail, intranets, extranets and other critical online resources.
Two-factor authentication is a security method requiring users to submit two pieces of digital identification for remote access to a network or business application. Typically, users enter something they know, like a password, into something they have, such as a handheld token or smart card, which generate dynamic one-time passwords for secure network access. Although tokens are adequate for authentication, businesses are demanding that digital certificates be included as an extra -- and much-needed -- layer of security. Digital certificates are electronic credentials that authenticate end users, generate legally valid ``digital signatures'' and enable encrypted communications and transactions.
``As enterprises migrate more of their internal and external communications and transactions to a digital environment, the need to maximize trust through strong user authentication continues to be mission-critical,'' said Anil Pereira, senior vice president and group general manager of VeriSign's enterprise and service provider division. ``Combining ActivCard's leading token- and smart card-based digital identity solution with VeriSign's managed PKI service allows enterprise customers to implement scalable two-factor authentication into applications -- such as e-procurement, online supply chain management and remote access -- more seamlessly and cost-effectively than ever before.''
Under terms of the strategic alliance, VeriSign will integrate ActivCard's scalable dynamic password authentication products with VeriSign's personal trust agent (PTA), which provides ``roaming'' access to digital certificates from virtually any Internet-enabled device. ActivCard, meantime, will integrate its smart card and digital identity provisioning, authentication and lifecycle management solution with VeriSign's Managed PKI Service. This will seamlessly combine digital certificate issuance with token and smart card personalization for enterprises and large service providers. The companies also have entered into a ``preferred provider'' arrangement to support mutual customers worldwide.
``Our alliance with VeriSign significantly expands our ability to provide next generation solutions for the growing number of customers looking to secure and protect their online assets,'' said Yves Audebert, president and COO at ActivCard. ``Strong identity is the foundation of all trusted services. Together, we provide confidence and an even greater level of trust that reaches beyond the traditional borders of the networking and into our everyday lives.''
About VeriSign
VeriSign, Inc. is leading provider of digital trust services that enable businesses and consumers to use digital networks with confidence. Digital trust services create a trusted environment through three core offerings -- Web identity, authentication and payment services -- powered by a global infrastructure that manages more than 5 billion communications and transactions a day. Additional news and information about the company is available at www.verisign.com.
About ActivCard
ActivCard, a leader in digital identity and electronic certification technology, delivers core components required to enable next generation e-Business communications and transactions. ActivCard solutions, in conjunction with the applications support for public key-based data confidentiality, and integrity, allow individuals and businesses to perform secure online transactions over the Internet with the ease-of-use of an ATM transaction. Today, more than 2 million people use ActivCard products for secure Internet banking, Web access and remote access to corporate networks. ActivCard has headquarters in Fremont, California, and Suresnes, France with worldwide operations in Australia, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements, which reflect management's best judgment based on factors currently known. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the statements included in this press release. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.
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, failure of the Illuminet merger to close due to the failure to obtain regulatory or other approvals; failure of the Illuminet stockholders to approve the merger; the risk that the VeriSign and Illuminet businesses will not be integrated successfully and unanticipated costs of such integration, 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, Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed on October 10, 2001 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31 and June 30, 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.
The statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with fluctuations in operating results, international operations, acquisitions and managing ActivCard's future growth, and other risks identified in ActivCard's periodic filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to those appearing under the caption ``Risk Factors'' in ActivCard's annual report on Form 20F. Actual results, events and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. ActivCard disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE: VeriSign, Inc. |
