Changes

Verisign runs 2 of the world's 13 root servers: a.root-servers.net and j.root-servers.net, which are considered national IT assets by the U.S. Federal government.<ref name="factsheet"></ref> Verisign's average daily [[DNS|Domain Name System]] (DNS) query load for the first quarter of 2012 was 66 billion, with a peak of 74 billion; this represents a daily average increase of 4 percent over the previous quarter, while the peak decreased 37 percent.<ref>[http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/internet-grows-to-more-than-233-million-domain-names-in-the-first-quarter-of-2012-nasdaq-vrsn-1679901.htm Internet Grows to More than 233 million Domain names In The First Quarter]. Market Wire. Published 2012 July 13.</ref>

Verisign runs 2 of the world's 13 root servers: a.root-servers.net and j.root-servers.net, which are considered national IT assets by the U.S. Federal government.<ref name="factsheet"></ref> Verisign's average daily [[DNS|Domain Name System]] (DNS) query load for the first quarter of 2012 was 66 billion, with a peak of 74 billion; this represents a daily average increase of 4 percent over the previous quarter, while the peak decreased 37 percent.<ref>[http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/internet-grows-to-more-than-233-million-domain-names-in-the-first-quarter-of-2012-nasdaq-vrsn-1679901.htm Internet Grows to More than 233 million Domain names In The First Quarter]. Market Wire. Published 2012 July 13.</ref>

Verisign was also well-known for its authentication services, which included business authentication services such as implementing and operating secure networks, utilizing [[SSL]] protocol, encrypting transactions and communications, and user authentication services such as, identity protection , fraud detection, and public key infrastructure.<ref>[http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=VRSN VRSN]. Yahoo! Finance.</ref> Those services were sold to [[Symantec]] in 2010.<ref name="reuters1"></ref> Prior to selling those services, Verisign had 3,000,000 certificates in operation, making it the largest[[CA| Certificate Authority]] behind the encryption and authentication on the Internet.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verisign Verisign, En.Wikipedia.org]</ref>

Verisign was also well-known for its authentication services, which included business authentication services such as implementing and operating secure networks, utilizing [[SSL]] protocol, encrypting transactions and communications, and user authentication services such as, identity protection , fraud detection, and public key infrastructure.<ref>[http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=VRSN VRSN]. Yahoo! Finance.</ref> Those services were sold to [[Symantec]] in 2010.<ref name="reuters1">[http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/05/18/verisign-idUSN1816653320100518 UPDATE 2-Symantec close to buying VeriSign unit -- source]. Reuters. Published 2010 May 18.</ref> Prior to selling those services, Verisign had 3,000,000 certificates in operation, making it the largest[[CA| Certificate Authority]] behind the encryption and authentication on the Internet.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verisign Verisign, En.Wikipedia.org]</ref>

In October, 2011, Verisign's registry management for [[.com]] domains passed the 100 million mark.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/com-passed-100-million-mark-in-october/ Com Passed 100 million mark in October]</ref> In quarter 1 2012, its figures showed that it held more than 50% of all registrations for all TLDs.<ref>[http://www.trefis.com/stock/vrsn/articles/108265/verisign-sits-pretty-at-39-registered-half-of-all-domain-names/2012-03-14 Verisign Sites Pretty at 39 Registered Half of All Domain Names, Trefis.com]</ref>  By the end of quarter 2 of 2012, Verisign had 240 million domain names over all of the TLDs it operates, with .com and .net holding 49% of the TLD market share, a drop of 2% from quarter 1.<ref>[http://www.trefis.com/stock/vrsn/articles/146666/verisigns-dropping-com-and-net-is-a-troubling-trend/2012-10-03 Verisign’s Dropping .com And .net Is A Troubling Trend, trefis.com]</ref>

In October, 2011, Verisign's registry management for [[.com]] domains passed the 100 million mark.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/com-passed-100-million-mark-in-october/ Com Passed 100 million mark in October]</ref> In quarter 1 2012, its figures showed that it held more than 50% of all registrations for all TLDs.<ref>[http://www.trefis.com/stock/vrsn/articles/108265/verisign-sits-pretty-at-39-registered-half-of-all-domain-names/2012-03-14 Verisign Sites Pretty at 39 Registered Half of All Domain Names, Trefis.com]</ref>  By the end of quarter 2 of 2012, Verisign had 240 million domain names over all of the TLDs it operates, with .com and .net holding 49% of the TLD market share, a drop of 2% from quarter 1.<ref>[http://www.trefis.com/stock/vrsn/articles/146666/verisigns-dropping-com-and-net-is-a-troubling-trend/2012-10-03 Verisign’s Dropping .com And .net Is A Troubling Trend, trefis.com]</ref>

* December, 1998, Verisign introduced digital certificate service for Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) servers and gateways.<ref>[http://www.wapforum.org/new/122199_verisign.htm Verisign Launches World's Most Comprehensive Digital Certificate Service for Wireless Web Servers]. WAP Forum. Published 1999 December 21.</ref>  

* December, 1998, Verisign introduced digital certificate service for Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) servers and gateways.<ref>[http://www.wapforum.org/new/122199_verisign.htm Verisign Launches World's Most Comprehensive Digital Certificate Service for Wireless Web Servers]. WAP Forum. Published 1999 December 21.</ref>  

* March,  2000, Verisign acquired [[Network Solutions]] for $21 billion USD, which was the largest Internet purchase to date.<ref>[http://about-networksolutions.com/corporate-history.php Corporate History]. Network Solutions.</ref><ref>[http://money.cnn.com/2000/03/07/deals/verisign/ VeriSign buys domain firm]. CNN Money. Published 2000 March 7.</ref>

* March,  2000, Verisign acquired [[Network Solutions]] for $21 billion USD, which was the largest Internet purchase to date.<ref>[http://about-networksolutions.com/corporate-history.php Corporate History]. Network Solutions.</ref><ref name="networksolutions">[http://money.cnn.com/2000/03/07/deals/verisign/ VeriSign buys domain firm]. CNN Money. Published 2000 March 7.</ref>

* November, 2003, Verisign sold [[Network Solutions]] to Pivotal Private Equity for about $100 million.<ref>[http://www.infoworld.com/t/networking/verisign-sells-network-solutions-282 VeriSign sells Network Solutions]. Info World. Published 2003 October 16.</ref>

* November, 2003, Verisign sold [[Network Solutions]] to Pivotal Private Equity for about $100 million.<ref>[http://www.infoworld.com/t/networking/verisign-sells-network-solutions-282 VeriSign sells Network Solutions]. Info World. Published 2003 October 16.</ref>

* May, 2005 - Verisign buys '''Lightbridge''', an ecommerce company<ref>[http://www.paymentsnews.com/2005/04/verisign_to_acq.html VeriSign to Acquire Lightbridge's PrepayIN Technology Platform and Customer Base]. Payment News. Published 2005 April 26.</ref> and also purchases '''R4 Global Solutions'''.

* May, 2005 - Verisign buys '''Lightbridge''', an ecommerce company<ref>[http://www.paymentsnews.com/2005/04/verisign_to_acq.html VeriSign to Acquire Lightbridge's PrepayIN Technology Platform and Customer Base]. Payment News. Published 2005 April 26.</ref> and also purchases '''R4 Global Solutions'''.

* July, 2005 - Verisign aquires security intelligence specialist '''iDefense''' for $40 Million.<ref>[http://www.silicon.com/technology/security/2005/07/14/verisign-boosts-security-with-idefense-acquisition-39150362/ Silicon.com ]</ref>.

* July, 2005 - Verisign aquires security intelligence specialist '''iDefense''' for $40 Million.

* March, 2006 - Verisign anounced acquisition of '''Kontiki''' for $62 million.<ref>[http://www.zdnet.com/news/verisign-to-acquire-kontiki/147195 ZDNet.com]</ref>

* March, 2006 - Verisign anounced acquisition of '''Kontiki''' for $62 million.<ref>[http://www.zdnet.com/news/verisign-to-acquire-kontiki/147195 VeriSign to acquire Kontiki]. ZDNet. Published 2006 March 13.</ref>

* May, 2006 - Acquisition of '''GeoTrust Inc.''', for $125 million.<ref>[http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2006/05/17/verisign_to_buy_geotrust_combining_top_ssl_providers.html Net Craft.com]</ref>

* May, 2006 - Acquisition of '''GeoTrust Inc.''', for $125 million.<ref>[http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2006/05/17/verisign_to_buy_geotrust_combining_top_ssl_providers.html Compliance and Privacy]. Net Craft. Published 2006 May 17.</ref>

* November, 2006 - '''inCode Wireless'''.<ref>[http://complianceandprivacy.com/News-Verisign-buys-inCode-Wireless.asp Compliance and Privacy]</ref>

* November, 2006 - '''inCode Wireless'''.<ref>[http://complianceandprivacy.com/News-Verisign-buys-inCode-Wireless.asp VeriSign To Acquire inCode Wireless]. Compliance and Privacy.</ref>

* March, 2007 - Verisign aquires [[Network Solutions]] for approximately $21 billion in stock.<ref>[http://money.cnn.com/2000/03/07/deals/verisign/ CNNMoney ]</ref>

* March, 2007 - Verisign aquires [[Network Solutions]] for approximately $21 billion in stock.<ref name="networksolutions"></ref>

==References==

==References==