DALLAS, June 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today, Entrust, Inc. applauds the Certification Authority/Browser (CA/B) Forum for reaching a key milestone -- the standardization of the first version of the Extended Validation (EV) SSL Guidelines. Certification authorities (CA) that provide EV SSL certificates, which serve as the first line of defense in a layered security strategy, will now be able to issue the certificates to a broader audience of business and government entities, including sole proprietorships, general partnerships and other unincorporated businesses
The two-year effort was supported by more than 25 companies and marks the official commencement of a new standard of identity security on the Internet. Until this announcement, major EV SSL vendors used pre-finalized guidelines that excluded certain business entities from acquiring EV certificates.
"This landmark event for Internet security will help usher in a new era of safer, more secure e-commerce," said Tim Moses, a member of the CA/Brower Forum, who serves as a senior director of advanced security technology at Entrust. "Now that the guidelines for Extended Validation are established, more organizations will be able to leverage this new technology to thwart phishing and man-in-the-middle attacks. Extended Validation SSL certificates, which represent a key component of a layered security strategy, are a valuable tool in restoring consumer confidence in the online channel."
Entrust was the first SSL vendor to turn on the EV SSL certificate capability for Windows XP users with Internet Explorer 7. Entrust also was the first CA to successfully meet the WebTrust operational requirements for EV SSL certificates. Facilitated by Deloitte, Entrust met the audit requirements established by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Entrust Extended Validation SSL certificates -- commonly referred to as "EV" certificates -- continue to gain respect amongst trusted enterprises, government agencies and security vendors, and are an effective tool for rebuilding consumer confidence in online transactions by enabling strong visual cues concerning the identity of the site operator.
When consumers use an EV-aware browser (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 7), it is easy for them to know if a particular Web site operator is identifiable and reachable. Valid sites trigger the address bar to turn green, and information about the company operating the site and the certification authority that issued the certificate is displayed.
Extended Validation refers to rigorous, industry-standard validation methods now used by CAs before issuing an SSL certificate. Conceived in response to the growing threats of phishing and man-in-the-middle attacks, Extended Validation SSL certificates were created by the CA/Browser Forum. EV SSL certificates are issued to Web sites only after rigorous validation of their identity.
Entrust Extended Validation SSL Certificates are available for purchase through Entrust's Certificate Services Web site at http://www.entrust.net/.
About CA/B Forum
The Certification Authority/Browser Forum (CA/Browser Forum) is a voluntary organization of leading certification authorities (CAs) and suppliers of Internet browser software and other applications. Members of the CA/Browser Forum have worked closely together in defining the guidelines and means of implementation for the Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificate standard as a way of providing reliable identity information for Internet transactions by creating a more intuitive method of displaying site identity to Internet users. More information about EV SSL Certificates and Guidelines can be found by visiting the CA/B Forum Web site at http://www.cabforum.org/.
About Entrust
Entrust secures digital identities and information for governments, enterprises and consumers in 1,650 organizations spanning 60 countries. Entrust leverages a layered security approach to address the growing risks to governments and enterprises worldwide. Our layered solutions help secure the most common digital identity and information protection pain points in an organization. These solutions include SSL, authentication, fraud detection, digital certificate management, shared data protection and e-mail security. For information, call 888-690-2424, e-mail
Entrust is a registered trademark of Entrust, Inc. in the United States and certain other countries. In Canada, Entrust is a registered trademark of Entrust Limited. All Entrust product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Entrust, Inc. or Entrust Limited. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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