VeriSign and TrustBearer announce partnership

Oct. 23, 2008
Companies to make PKI protection on smart cards easier to use

WASHINGTON, DC, October 22 / MARKET WIRE/ --

7th Annual Smart Cards in Government Conference, Booth #49 -- VeriSign, the trusted provider of Internet infrastructure services for the networked world, today announced a strategic alliance with TrustBearer Labs, an authentication and digital identity solutions company, to make it easier for people to use smart cards and security devices that leverage Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) credentials.

The partnership will combine VeriSign's expertise as a leading PKI provider with TrustBearer's solutions for easy, rapid deployment of PKI applications and strong authentication using smart cards across all major Web browsers and platforms. The joint effort is aimed at benefiting organizations looking to simplify high-volume delivery of PKI digital certificates and applications via the latest generation of smart cards.

PKI uses digital certificates issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) for encryption and authentication so all parties involved in a communication or transaction can achieve and ensure confidentiality, message integrity and user authentication. PKI is a natural fit for smart cards, which are increasingly used by government agencies, health care providers and large enterprises as a way to streamline identification and access to services. By making PKI-enabled features easier to use, VeriSign and TrustBearer will help organizations expand the use of their cards, protect users from online identity theft, streamline approval processes, and safeguard sensitive private data.

"Smart cards hold enormous potential for providing fast and secure access to services, and PKI offers a vital way to reduce risk exposure and comply with security regulations," said Adam Geller, vice president, Enterprise and Government Authentication at VeriSign. "Working with TrustBearer not only helps us access new customers that have yet to select a PKI solution, but we're also able to help our current customers derive even more value from their existing PKI implementations."

"Enterprises and government agencies working to implement PKI security on smart cards can now benefit from the combined expertise of leaders in their respective fields," said David Corcoran, CEO and founder of TrustBearer. "By working with VeriSign, we're able to help organizations effectively integrate PKI into high-security smart card deployments targeted at mass end-user and consumer populations."

This latest effort marks the second time VeriSign and TrustBearer have applied their expertise to the same challenge. In June, Microsoft selected VeriSign and TrustBearer as the first two OpenID providers for users of HealthVault, a free service that enables consumers to store and manage their health information online.