Tuesday February 23, 11:44 am Eastern Time
Netscape, Verisign in deal on Web security software
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Feb 23 (Reuters) - Netscape Commmunications Corp.
(Nasdaq:NSCP - news), the Internet software and media company, and computer
identification supplier VeriSign Inc. (Nasdaq:VRSN - news) on Tuesday said they agreed to
a broad deal to promote Internet security software.
Netscape, whose business include Netcenter, one of the Web's most visited sites, said it reached a multi-year deal with
VeriSign to promote secure electronic commerce and communications for corporate networks over the World Wide Web.
The deal is the first to create a one-stop destination on a major Web site for computer users shopping for electronic commerce
and communications software, the partners said.
Verisign stock rose $9.25, or 9.5 percent, to $106.37, while Netscape rose 5 percent to $79.44, up $2.81 on the day, both in
Nasdaq trading, amid a rally in Internet stocks.
The deal calls for the two companies to take part in joint efforts including the creation of a new Netcenter Security Center on
Netscape's popular Web site. Netcenter supplies, news, free e-mail, online discussion boards and shopping services to millions
of visitors each month.
In addition, Netscape agreed to further integrate into its various software products VeriSign's digital certificate services, which
serves to authenticate the identities of computer users.
Netscape also gave VeriSign the title of premier provider of digital certificate and Internet trust services for Netscape
customers.
The Netcenter Security Center by VeriSign is scheduled to debut by the end of March. Efforts to combine the two companies
products and services have begun, they said. |
