VeriSign to give PKI authentication to WiMAX industry

VeriSign to give PKI authentication to WiMAX industry

As a trusted Certification Authority, VeriSign is set to perform critical certificate lifecycle functions for WiMAX service providers and device manufacturers

Thursday, February 05, 2009

NEW DELHI, INDIA: VeriSign,provider of Internet infrastructure for the networked world, today announced the WiMAX Forum has selected VeriSign's Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to safeguard the burgeoning wireless broadband ecosystem.

After an extensive selection process, VeriSign has been selected to provide security solutions based on PKI for WiMAX networks, which combine the speed of broadband with the convenience of wireless to deliver the "last mile" of connectivity on high-speed, metropolitan area networks.

VeriSign is the only independent PKI provider authorized to deliver services to both WiMAX service providers and device manufacturers. Worldwide, more than 80 million devices ranging from cable modems to ATM machines already depend on VeriSign's PKI-based digital certificate services to secure access to various services, and this number is set to grow dramatically with the addition of the WiMAX ecosystem.

"Ensuring secure communication over WiMAX-based networks is critical for the successful growth of the WiMAX ecosystem," said Matt Wangler, Director of Operations of the WiMAX Forum, a not-for-profit organization that promotes the adoption of WiMAX-compatible products and services. "Seamless security that is transparent to the end user is also crucial for widespread adoption. We selected VeriSign because of its long track record in providing PKI solutions that feature the scalability and reliability required for WiMAX technology to flourish. With VeriSign, WiMAX is in god hands."

As a trusted Certification Authority, VeriSign is set to perform critical certificate lifecycle functions for WiMAX service providers and device manufacturers including secure key generation and storage as well as certificate issuance, validation, revocation, and renewal. The end result will be seamless and mutual strong authentication between WiMAX networks and devices.

Available to both WiMAX service providers and device manufacturers, the VeriSign WiMAX PKI Service is capable of supporting hundreds of millions of PKI-based WiMAX digital certificates on a global scale. The service is derived from VeriSign's PKI infrastructure that has been delivering hosted and managed security to thousands of commercial and government customers since its inception in 1995. Its architecture is a combination of highly integrated hardware, software, and processes that are protected in secure data facilities. For more information, go to www.verisign.com/wimax

"As WiMAX capabilities becomes more recognizable and available around the world, the need for a structured but scalable security framework is vital," said Adam Geller, vice president, Enterprise and Government Authentication at VeriSign. "We are delighted to once again be chosen to deliver the trusted third party infrastructure and services required to support a complex ecosystem like WiMAX. WiMAX service providers and device manufacturers can be assured that we have the experience and perspective to provide vendor-agnostic services to all participants in the WiMAX community."

About WiMAX Forum

The WiMAX Forum® is an industry-led, not-for-profit organization formed to certify and promote the compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless products based upon the harmonized IEEE 802.16e/ETSI HiperMAN standard. A WiMAX Forum goal is to accelerate the introduction of these systems into the marketplace. WiMAX Forum Certified products are interoperable and support broadband fixed, nomadic, portable and mobile services. Along these lines, the WiMAX Forum works closely with service providers and regulators to ensure that WiMAX Forum Certified systems meet customer and government requirements. Through the WiMAX Forum Congress Events Series of global trade shows and events, the WiMAX Forum is committed to furthering education, training and collaboration to expand the reach of the WiMAX ecosystem. For more information, visit the trade show link at www.wimaxforum.org.

About VeriSign

VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN) is the trusted provider of Internet infrastructure services for the networked world. Billions of times each day, VeriSign helps companies and consumers all over the world engage in communications and commerce with confidence. Additional news and information about the company is available at www.verisign.com.

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