Changes

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 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>

==History==

==History==

* 1995 [[RSA]] pioneered two-factor authentication and encryption and Verisign was founded as a 'spin-off' of the [[RSA]] security technology to act as a [[certificate authority]].<ref>[http://www.rsa.com/press_release.aspx?id=10462 RSA]</ref>  

* 1995, [[RSA]] pioneered two-factor authentication and encryption and Verisign was founded as a 'spin-off' of the [[RSA]] security technology to act as a [[Certificate Authority|certificate authority]].<ref>[http://www.rsa.com/press_release.aspx?id=10462 RSA]</ref>  

* June, 1995 Verisign announced partnerships with [[Apple]] Computer Inc. and [[Netscape]] Communications Corp. to implement VeriSign's Digital IDs in their software products.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1995_June_22/ai_17098458/ bnet]</ref>

* June, 1995, Verisign announced partnerships with [[Apple]] Computer Inc. and [[Netscape]] Communications Corp. to implement VeriSign's Digital IDs in their software products.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1995_June_22/ai_17098458/ bnet]</ref>

* August, 1995 Verisign appointed [[Stratton D. Sclavos]] as the president and CEO.<ref>[http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/software-services-applications/7143286-1.html AllBusiness.com]</ref>

* August, 1995, Verisign appointed [[Stratton Sclavos]] as the president and CEO.<ref>[http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/software-services-applications/7143286-1.html AllBusiness.com]</ref>

* January, 1996 Verisign introduced the first online digital certificate issue system at the [[RSA]] Data Security Conference in San Francisco.<ref>[http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/29/VeriSign-Inc.html Reference for Business]</ref> Verisign also announced an agreement with [[Terisa Systems]] to develop a new and complete internet security solution.<ref> [http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/software-services-applications/7143286-1.html High Beam]</ref>

* January, 1996, Verisign introduced the first online digital certificate issue system at the [[RSA]] Data Security Conference in San Francisco.<ref>[http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/29/VeriSign-Inc.html Reference for Business]</ref> Verisign also announced an agreement with [[Terisa Systems]] to develop a new and complete internet security solution.<ref> [http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/software-services-applications/7143286-1.html High Beam]</ref>

* January, 1996 Secure Email was launched. Verisign lunched Code Signing with [[Microsoft]] in March 1996. In August, 1996, [[Microsoft]] and Verisign announced the availability of client authentication technology for [[Microsoft]] IE users by using Verisign Digital IDs. <ref> [http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/aug96/clientpr.mspx Microsft.com]</ref>  

* January, 1996, Secure Email was launched. Verisign lunched Code Signing with [[Microsoft]] in March 1996. In August, 1996, [[Microsoft]] and Verisign announced the availability of client authentication technology for [[Microsoft]] IE users by using Verisign Digital IDs. <ref> [http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/aug96/clientpr.mspx Microsft.com]</ref>  

* 1997, the First Internet Commerce Transactions Linking Europe, Asia, and the United States was conducted by [[Verifone]] and Verisign.<ref> [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-19591264.html Highbeam.com]</ref> The United States Department of Commerce approved VeriSign's plans to issue new Verisign Global Server IDs in June 1997 allowing 128-bit encryption.<ref> [http://www.columbia.edu/~ariel/news/pr_global.html University of Columbia]</ref>  

* 1997, the First Internet Commerce Transactions Linking Europe, Asia, and the United States was conducted by [[Verifone]] and Verisign.<ref> [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-19591264.html Highbeam.com]</ref> The United States Department of Commerce approved VeriSign's plans to issue new Verisign Global Server IDs in June 1997 allowing 128-bit encryption.<ref> [http://www.columbia.edu/~ariel/news/pr_global.html University of Columbia]</ref>  

* 1997 VeriSign filed to raise $40 million for its public stock.<ref>[http://news.cnet.com/VeriSign-files-to-launch-IPO/2100-1001_3-205752.html Cnet.com ]</ref> On January 10, 1998, VeriSign went public.<ref>[http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/VeriSign-Inc-Company-History.html Finding Universe ]</ref>  

* 1997, VeriSign filed to raise $40 million for its public stock.<ref>[http://news.cnet.com/VeriSign-files-to-launch-IPO/2100-1001_3-205752.html Cnet.com ]</ref> On January 10, 1998, VeriSign went public.<ref>[http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/VeriSign-Inc-Company-History.html Finding Universe ]</ref>  

* July, 1997 Verisign is acquired by [[SecureIT]], a network security service company.<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/AirDefense+Strengthens+Management+Team+With+IT+Security+Veterans%3B...-a090833985 The Free Library]</ref>  

* July, 1997, Verisign is acquired by [[SecureIT]], a network security service company.<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/AirDefense+Strengthens+Management+Team+With+IT+Security+Veterans%3B...-a090833985 The Free Library]</ref>  

* October, 1998 Verisign released a fully integrated PKI platform, OnSite 4.0.<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/VeriSign+Expands+PKI+Training+and+Consulting+Services-a053079815 The Free Library ]</ref>  

* October, 1998, Verisign released a fully integrated PKI platform, OnSite 4.0.<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/VeriSign+Expands+PKI+Training+and+Consulting+Services-a053079815 The Free Library ]</ref>  

* November, 1998 Verisign offered Y2k testing certs for free.

* November, 1998, Verisign offered Y2K testing certs for free.

* December, 1998, Verisign introduced digital certificate service for Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) servers and gateways.<ref>[http://www.wapforum.org/new/122199_verisign.htm Wap Forum.org ]</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 Wap Forum.org ]</ref>  

* In 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, NetworkSolutions.com]</ref><ref>[http://money.cnn.com/2000/03/07/deals/verisign/ Verisign Deals, Money.CNN]</ref>

* In 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, NetworkSolutions.com]</ref><ref>[http://money.cnn.com/2000/03/07/deals/verisign/ Verisign Deals, Money.CNN]</ref>

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

* May, 2005 Verisign introduced a new 2048 bit VeriSign Class 3 Secure Server [[CA]] which was used to sign Secure Site Certificates obtained from thier website for IIS web servers.<ref>[http://www.verisign.com/support/advisories/page_029264.html VeriSign]</ref>

* May, 2005, Verisign introduced a new 2048 bit VeriSign Class 3 Secure Server [[CA]] which was used to sign Secure Site Certificates obtained from thier website for IIS web servers.<ref>[http://www.verisign.com/support/advisories/page_029264.html VeriSign]</ref>

* November, 2005 Verisign's payment gateway business, [[Paypal]], was sold to [[eBay]] for approximately $370 million.<ref>[https://www.paypal-media.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=180329 Paypal-Media.com ]</ref>.  

* November, 2005, Verisign's payment gateway business, [[Paypal]], was sold to [[eBay]] for approximately $370 million.<ref>[https://www.paypal-media.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=180329 Paypal-Media.com ]</ref>.  

* December, 2006 Verisign introduces Extended Validation [[SSL]] Certificates, standard practices for certificate validation and display approved by a group of leading [[SSL Certificate Authorities]] and browser vendors.<ref>[http://www.verisign.com/ssl/ssl-information-center/extended-validation-ssl-certificates/ VeriSign.com]</ref>

* December, 2006, Verisign introduces Extended Validation [[SSL]] Certificates, standard practices for certificate validation and display approved by a group of leading [[SSL Certificate Authorities]] and browser vendors.<ref>[http://www.verisign.com/ssl/ssl-information-center/extended-validation-ssl-certificates/ VeriSign.com]</ref>

* November, 2007 Verisign announced plans to divest in its slower growing units and invest more in website naming and internet security services.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1416428420071114 reuters ] </ref> Report shown these steps had cuthalf of its employeers.

* November, 2007, Verisign announced plans to divest in its slower growing units and invest more in website naming and internet security services.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1416428420071114 reuters ] </ref> Report shown these steps had cuthalf of its employeers.

* May, 2009 [[Stratton Sclavos]] stepped down from his positions as CEO of Verisign and [[William Roper Jr.]] was named to that position.<ref>[http://blog.domaintools.com/2007/05/stratton-sclavos-ceo-of-verisign-steps-down/ Domain Tools.blog]</ref>. Later, [[Jim Bidzos]], the founder of Verisign was appointed as the CEO and President.<ref>[http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/security-bytes/jim-bidzos-back-as-chairman-of-verisign/ IT Knowledge Exchange]</ref>

* 2008, Verisign sold its global Digital Brand Management Services business for US$50 million to [[MelbourneIT]].<ref>[http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/050108_Melbourne_IT_Buys_VeriSign_Assets The Web Host Industry Review]</ref>

* 2008 Verisign sold its global Digital Brand Management Services business for US$50 million to [[MelbourneIT]].<ref>[http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/050108_Melbourne_IT_Buys_VeriSign_Assets The Web Host Industry Review]</ref>

* May, 2009, [[Stratton Sclavos]] stepped down from his positions as CEO of Verisign and [[William Roper Jr.]] was named to that position.<ref>[http://blog.domaintools.com/2007/05/stratton-sclavos-ceo-of-verisign-steps-down/ Domain Tools.blog]</ref>. Later, [[Jim Bidzos]], the founder of Verisign was appointed as the CEO and President.<ref>[http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/security-bytes/jim-bidzos-back-as-chairman-of-verisign/ IT Knowledge Exchange]</ref>

* In May 2010, Verisign sold the entire Authentication Services division to Symantec for 1.28 million.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1816653320100518 Reuters]</ref>  Because of this deal, Symantec now has the right to Verisign's old logo and the "Verisign Secured" tag for SSL certification.

* In May 2010, Verisign sold the entire Authentication Services division to Symantec for 1.28 million.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1816653320100518 Reuters]</ref>  Because of this deal, Symantec now has the right to Verisign's old logo and the "Verisign Secured" tag for SSL certification.