McAfee, Inc. Partners With VeriSign to Promote VeriSign Extended Validation SSL Certificates

McAfee, Inc. Partners With VeriSign to Promote VeriSign Extended Validation SSL Certificates

McAfee, Inc. (NYSE: MFE) and VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), the leading provider of digital infrastructure for the networked world, today announced that McAfee® will automatically enable consumers using Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) operating on the Windows XP operating system to get the new Extended Validation (EV) functionality for sites that use VeriSign SSL Certificates.

VeriSign EV SSL Certificates help maximize consumer confidence by providing third-party verification of a Web site's authenticity, while securing online transactions through encryption. When a user enters a URL through a high-security browser such as IE7, the browser address bar will turn green, indicating that the site's identity has been verified using known, reliable authentication methodology. The green browser bar will also display both the name of the verified organization as well as the SSL provider, allowing consumers to confirm the genuine name of the businesses with which they are interacting.

Currently, IE7 operating on the Microsoft Vista operating system is the only browser that automatically displays green browser bar to indicate the presence of EV SSL certificates. To address EV functionality for other operating systems, VeriSign has created the VeriSign EV Upgrader(TM) -- which helps enable all supported platforms of IE7 browsers, including Windows XP, to detect EV SSL Certificates and display them appropriately. EV Upgrader prompts IE7 systems to seamlessly update their VeriSign SSL Certificate roots.

Incorporating VeriSign EV Upgrader technology into its public-facing sites McAfee assures that its users receive the root update that makes it possible for IE7 browsers to recognize VeriSign EV SSL Certificates and display the green address bar and other EV interface conventions. With this partnership, VeriSign and McAfee will expand the potential pool of consumers that will be able to fully benefit from the capabilities of the EV SSL technology. 

“We are excited to support VeriSign EV SSL Certificates, which help McAfee meet its mission of protecting what consumers consider valuable,” said Mark McArdle, SVP, Engineering, McAfee Consumer. “Consumers remain concerned about banking and transacting online, and VeriSign EV SSL Certificates provide another layer of security.”

VeriSign EV SSL Certificates complement McAfee's safe search and surf initiatives via McAfee SiteAdvisor ™ . McAfee SiteAdvisor's pioneering safe search technology protects Internet users from adware, spam, viruses, phishing and other online scams.  SiteAdvisor's software adds intuitive red, yellow, or green ratings to sites and search results based on proprietary tests of more than 95% of the trafficked Web.  SiteAdvisor's award-winning software is available free of charge at www.mcafee.com .

A Web site that has undergone VeriSign Extended Validation has passed rigorous authentication procedures, including the verification of domain ownership and organizational identity. Businesses interested in learning more about VeriSign EV SSL Certificates, should visit the VeriSign information centre

“We are pleased to be working with McAfee to bring VeriSign EV SSL Certificates to the broadest possible audience of consumers," said Chris Babel, vice president, SSL, VeriSign. "By making EV functionality available to McAfee customers, VeriSign and McAfee are greatly expanding the number of individuals who can enjoy another layer of security when conducting online transactions. And as the industry works together to bring transparency in rooting out fraudulent sites, we will continue to provide solutions that allow consumers to transact online with confidence."