VeriSign expects big things from AOL deal

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: Andrew Simmons <andrew () zpok demon co uk>

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/28024.html

By ComputerWire
Posted: 11/11/2002 at 07:35 GMT
 
VeriSign Inc hopes to give its digital certificate business a boost
with next year's launch of enterprise instant messaging systems from
AOL Time Warner Inc. VeriSign is providing security for the software,
and expects to see "hundreds of thousands, if not millions" of cert
shipments as a result, according to an executive.

AOL announced two weeks ago the release of an AOL Instant Messenger
(AIM) gateway that allows enterprises to better administer employee IM
with logging, control and reporting features. Security, the other big
barrier to enterprise IM adoption, will be added some time next year,
most likely in the first quarter.

"We're optimistic that the deal will lead to broader adoption of our
services inside the enterprise," VeriSign VP of corporate technology
strategy Mahi de Silva "It's an important milestone." He estimated
that the deal could lead to millions of additional installed seats.  
AOL estimates that about 60% of enterprises already use AIM.

De Silva said he expects AOL will market the secure services to
enterprises and also as part of a premium service to individual users,
as a way to monetize a long-free service. Initially there may be two
separate client bases, but AOL will likely converge the two, he said.  
AOL says it has about 180 million registered users, but the number of
individual people is likely much smaller.

VeriSign charges $14.95 a year for individual "Class 1" certificates,
but pricing for enterprises varies by volume and by what services they
buy. It has 10 million or less certificates issued, with the mix
heavily towards enterprise users. AOL has not yet fixed, or announced,
pricing for its secure IM.



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