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Technology Stocks : VeriSign (VRSN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Augustus Gloop who wrote (827)	1/4/2000 12:01:00 PM
From: AugustWest	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1285

FWIW (COMTEX) B: Older browsers report errors in online transactions B: Older browsers report errors in online transactions Older Internet browsers are causing some error messages during secured e-commerce transactions and online banking, but the first day of Y2K business produced few user-reported problems at help desks locally and nationally. Users of Netscape Navigator and Communicator browsers 4.06 and older, as well as Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer 4.5 for Macintosh and older, could have problems unless they update to newer versions, the companies reported. The issue is not Y2K-related, but involves digital certificates from VeriSign Inc. stored in those browser versions. Certificates are used to authenticate users and encrypt transactions. In older browsers, the certificates are set to expire on the last day of 1999 by design. The idea was to force users to upgrade to the latest versions with updated security technologies, although VeriSign officials have said that in retrospect, they should have picked a different date for the expiration. According to the VeriSign Web site: ''Certificates are only issued for a finite period by design, because as computer technology improves, older generations of encryption technology become vulnerable due to newer, more powerful computers.'' Error messages will only appear when a secure connection is attempted during a banking or e-commerce transaction. About 150,000 commerce and finance sites use VeriSign certificates. About 100,000 Internet customers of Swedish banks could not access their accounts Monday because of problems with their browsers. The problems were solved by downloading updates. Elsewhere, help desks at several local and national Internet service providers said the first day back at the office was apparently free of major problems. Officials at Internet America, America Online, Flashnet and Texas Metronet said calls were routine in frequency and character. In fact, none of those companies reported customer complaints about the documented VeriSign problem. In a related matter, Steve Linebarger of Texas Metronet said he noticed the mail program, Elm, which is rarely employed by most users today, has been stamping dates in the year 100. ''I consider that basically an annoying little detail of an almost cosmetic nature,'' Linebarger said. Some Unix utilities rarely used by even hard-core programmers are also experiencing some operational difficulties, he said. Flashnet operator Brian Scott said he personally experienced the Netscape 4.06 glitch, but ''clicked right through it with no problem.'' Affected browsers will issue a warning, then ask if the user wants to continue or cancel the transaction. Experts advise users to click through and continue with the transaction. The information is still secure, they say. Only the guarantee on the encryption technology has technically expired. Nationally, the browser problem is of unknown proportions. About one-fifth of Netscape users _ 5 million to 10 million of them _ still use pre-4.06 browsers, the company said. There are no estimates of the number of Mac owners using Internet Explorer 4.5. Users of Netscape 4.06 may see this warning: ''One of the Certificate Authorities that identifies this site has expired. This may be because a certificate authority has actually expired, or because the date on your computer is wrong.'' Users will be able to click ''continue'' to get a secure connection, and the transaction will be secure, the company says. With the Microsoft Mac browsers, the following warning will appear: ''Unable to establish a secure connection to 1/8Web site3/8. There is a problem with the security certificate from that site. 1/8The identity certificate has expired.3/8 The information you view and send will be readable to others while in transit, and it may not go to the intended party. Continue loading this page?'' The user can continue, but the connection will not exhibit the visual cue that indicates a secure connection, according to Microsoft. Both problems can be remedied by updating the browsers with free software. Internet Explorer users can upgrade their browsers to IE 4.51 at microsoft.com/mac/download. More information is available at microsoft.com/mac/iesecissue. Netscape is urging users to update to its newest versions and offers more help at netscape.com/cms/certinfo.html?cp=hom12n1. (c) 2000, The Dallas Morning News. Visit The Dallas Morning News on the World Wide Web at dallasnews.com Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services. AP-NY-01-03-00 2100EST< -0- By Doug Bedell The Dallas Morning News * end of story *