From: Brian W. McKenney (6/26/95) To: infosec@smiley.mitre.org Mail*Link¨ SMTP Digital ID (Proposed Standard, Alternative to DSS) Received: by iegate.mitre.org with SMTP;26 Jun 1995 12:34:57 -0500 Received: from mwunix.mitre.org (mwunix.mitre.org [128.29.154.1]) by mbunix.mitre.org (8.6.10/8.6.9) with ESMTP id MAA15827 for ; Mon, 26 Jun 1995 12:30:13 -0400 Received: (root@localhost) by mwunix.mitre.org (8.6.10/8.6.4) id MAA01353 for fnc@mbunix.mitre.org; Mon, 26 Jun 1995 12:30:13 -0400 Received: from smiley.sit (smiley.mitre.org [128.29.140.20]) by mwunix.mitre.org (8.6.10/8.6.4) with SMTP id MAA01347; Mon, 26 Jun 1995 12:30:12 -0400 Received: from [128.29.140.130] (mckenney-mac) by smiley.sit (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AA20299; Mon, 26 Jun 95 12:28:30 EDT Date: Mon, 26 Jun 95 12:28:30 EDT Message-Id: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" To: infosec@smiley.mitre.org From: mckenney@smiley.mitre.org (Brian W. McKenney) Subject: Digital ID (Proposed Standard, Alternative to DSS) X-MDF: fnc re-routed to "fnc@mbunix.mitre.org" Today's New York Times (Business Section) has an article on Digital ID (being promoted by Verisign, Inc.). Verisign is a spinoff from RSA Data Security. Digital ID will be used to validate the trustworthiness of electronic messages and documents over the Internet (also has privacy option). Ameritech, Apple, Mitsubishi, Netscape, and Visa International have contributed a total of $5 million to finance Versign. Other companies that have endorsed Digital ID include Intel, Microsoft, Sun, Commercenet, Cybercash, Dun & Bradstreet, Premenos, and National Semiconductor. Digital ID is being proposed as a private sector (commercial) alternative to the NIST DSS standard. The article points to the commercial acceptance of Digital ID. Additional information on Digital ID is provided below. >REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 22, 1995--Network and information >superhighway users can now trust the contents of an electronic transmission >and >the identity of its source with today's launch of VeriSign Inc. > >VeriSign is the first full-service provider of Digital IDs(TM). Also known as >`certificates,` Digital IDs ensure privacy and authenticate the content of >electronic transmissions on all public and private networks. > >VeriSign was formed with the financial backing of a diverse group of industry >leaders including Ameritech, Bessemer Venture Partners, Fischer International, >Mitsubishi, RSA Data Security, Security Dynamics, and Visa International. > >`The growth of electronic commerce and the growing commercial use of the >Internet have heightened the need for secure and trusted communications,` said >Richard Madrid, Product Director of Electronic Commerce, Ameritech Corp. `We >are > investing in VeriSign to help create products that will deliver a trusted and >secure transaction environment.` > >`For years the Internet community has discussed and expected digital >authentication but no workable solutions existed,` said Bessemer Venture >Partners' David Cowan, co-founder and Director of VeriSign Inc. `Now VeriSign >has the technology, people, capital and industry support to provide Digital >IDs >for all Internet applications.` > >`Advances in data processing and communications have increased the need for >servicing new forms of digital identity which VeriSign is uniquely positioned >to > provide,` said Bill Powar, Visa International Vice President. `Visa's mission >is to represent the interest of our Member financial institutions in the >introduction and development of new technologies and this investment will >ensure > that Member needs are addressed as this market evolves.` > >`You may think that encryption equals total security, but it merely ensures >that > others can't read your data,` explained Jim Bidzos, VeriSign founder and >Chairman of the Board, and President of RSA Data Security Inc. `You don't >really > know who sent an encrypted document. Just because someone has a password or >an >e-mail address doesn't mean you can trust that they are who they say they are. >A > Digital ID assures you that the data was sent by the right person and that >the >contents haven't been altered on the way.` > >Current Digital ID-enabled products from Apple Computer and Netscape >Communications demonstrate the rapidly evolving industry support for such >technologies. Digital IDs are quickly becoming an essential component for >secure > global electronic transactions. > >`VeriSign is the only real Digital ID issuing company in the world,` said >Yoshito Nakamura, Assistant General Manager Technology Affairs Dept., >Mitsubishi > Corp. `We invested in VeriSign because we see this technology as critical to >developing trust over electronic commerce. Our global trading business is >moving > towards electronic commerce, and we see VeriSign's ability to provide Digital >IDs strategic to our future global trading business.` > >VeriSign's Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partners will add Digital ID >capabilities to their cryptography-enabled applications, ensuring the privacy >and authentication of electronic documents, electronic commerce and e-mail. >`Fischer became a charter investor in VeriSign because it expects VeriSign to >perform an integral role in Fischer's Security and Electronic Commerce >Products. > VeriSign services will enable the authentication and authorization components >of these products,` said Addison Fischer, CEO, Fischer International Systems. >New Opportunities for ISVs and Emerging Digital ID Resellers > >RSA Data Security provides software developers privacy and authentication >features, including Digital ID technology, in the form of a software >development > kit (SDK) enabling them to implement Digital IDs in their applications. >VeriSign now offers end users Digital ID certification services and provides a >consistent identification framework. VeriSign issues Digital IDs which certify >the individual identity of a public key holder. The person can then use any >VeriSign enabled applications to send VeriSigned documents and transactions. >VeriSign will also license other companies to provide this service. > >`The certification services performed by VeriSign should facilitate growth in >electronic commerce, messaging and corporate networking applications requiring >a > high degree of data privacy and integrity, and sender non-repudiation,` said >Charles Stuckey, President and CEO, Security Dynamics. VeriSign Inc. > >VeriSign Inc. is the leading provider of Digital IDs, a technology that >enables >trusted electronic communications to occur over public and private networks. >VeriSign allows end users to trust their communications at a level previously >unavailable through encryption alone. VeriSign also empowers companies to >provide a broad range of Digital ID-related services by becoming Digital ID >issuers themselves. Founded in 1995, VeriSign is a privately held company >headquartered in Redwood City, Calif. For more information, contact VeriSign >at >415/508-1151. -0- > >Note to Editors: VeriSign and Digital ID are registered trademarks of VeriSign >Inc. All other product and company names are trademarks of their respective >corporations. > >--30--eh/sf.. css/dc/sf > >CONTACT: VeriSign Inc. > >Web Augustine, 415/508-1151 > >webverisign.com > >or > >Niehaus Ryan Haller Public Relations Inc. > >Marcos Sanchez, 415/615-7912 > >marcosnrh.com > >KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA > >INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS COMED INTERACTIVE/MULTIMEDIA >TELECOMMUNICATIONS PRODUCT REPEATS: New York 212-575-8822 or 800-221-2462; >Boston 617-330-5311 or 800-225-2030; SF 415-986-4422 or 800-227-0845; LA >310-820-9473 > >AP-NY-06-22-95 0758EDT > > >This material is copyrighted and may not be republished without permission of >the originating newspaper or wire service. NewsHound is a service of the San >Jose Mercury News. For more information call 1-800-818-NEWS. > > ======================================================================