Introduction to VeriSign

Founded in 1995 when it was spun off from RSA Security, VeriSign became a Certificate Authority (CA) and provided digital authentication products. In 2000, it acquired Network Solutions, the operator that controlled the gTLDs .com, .net, and .org in agreement with the United State Department of Commerce and ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). VeriSign sold its SSL authentication business, along with some other services to Symantec in 2010. Thus, both Thawte and VeriSign, formerly separate CAs, are now owned by Symantec.

VeriSign’s SSL Offerings

As of June, 2011, VeriSign was offering four general types of SSL certificates as well specialized SSL certificates for SAN (Subject Alternative Name), for IDNs (Internationalized Domain Names), and Financial SSL certificates for OFX (Open Financial Exchange). Of the four general types of SSL Certificates, two are Extended Validation (EV), while the other two have full organizational validation. Let’s look at each of the offerings in turn.

Secure Site SSL Certificates

The Secure Site SSL Certificates are the lowest level (and least expensive) certificate that VeriSign lists in its basic certificate line-up.  It offers 40-bit to 256-bit encryption and includes a daily scan to identify malicious code on public pages. The VeriSign Trust Seal is displayed when the site is listed in search results. The site is authenticated with full organizational validation and includes a NetSure extended warranty for $1,000,000. VeriSign provides an installation checker and support for SAN and ADN. The certificate covers a single domain, but up to five servers. The 2-year cost is $695.

Secure Site Pro SSL Certificates

The Secure Site Pro SSL Certificates are an upgrade from the Secure Site SSL Certificates. It offers stronger encryption, with the minimum being 128-bit rather than 40-bit (the upper level is the same—256-bit encryption) and the certificate features SGC (Server-Gated Cryptography, which VeriSign claims is the strongest commercially-available SSL encryption currently available. The VeriSign Trust Seal is displayed when the site is listed in search results. The site is authenticated with full organizational validation and includes a NetSure extended warranty for $1,250,000. VeriSign provides an installation checker and support for SAN and ADN. The certificate covers a single domain, but up to five servers. The 2-year cost is $1790. Free security and monitoring software is included.

Secure Site SSL Certificates with EV

The Secure Site SSL Certificates provide the highest level of trust with an Extended Validation and a green address bar. It offers 40-bit to 256-bit encryption and includes a daily scan to identify malicious code on public pages. The VeriSign Trust Seal is displayed when the site is listed in search results. The site includes a NetSure extended warranty for $1,500,000. VeriSign provides an installation checker and support for SAN and ADN. The certificate covers a single domain, but up to five servers. The 2-year cost is $1790.

Secure Site Pro SSL Certificates with EV

The Secure Site Pro SSL Certificates with EV provide the highest level of trust with an Extended Validation and a green address bar. They are an upgrade from the Secure Site SSL Pro Certificates and offer the same strong encryption, with the range being 128-bit  to 256-bit encryption and the certificate features SGC (Server-Gated Cryptography, which VeriSign claims is the strongest commercially-available SSL encryption currently available. The VeriSign Trust Seal is displayed when the site is listed in search results. The site includes a NetSure extended warranty for $1,500,000. VeriSign provides an installation checker and support for SAN and ADN. The certificate covers a single domain, but up to five servers. The 2-year cost is $2695.

SAN SSL Certificates

SAN SSL Certificates allow securing multiple domains using a single certificate and are used in securing Microsoft Exchange 2007 Server, among others. They are available as an optional feature with Extended Validation and with Secure Site or Secure Site Pro.

SSL Certificates for IDNs

Although the VeriSign website lists SSL Certificates for IDNs as a specialty, the text on the linked page suggests that all four of their standard offerings support IDNs already.

Financial SSL Certificates for OFX

Financial SSL Certificates for OFX are a separate product that financial institutions use for their online transactions.

Sources

symantec.com

verisign.com