IBM, VeriSign partner on security technology

SAN FRANCISCO: International Business Machines Corp. and VeriSign Inc. have

reached a broad multi-year partnership to share computer security technology and

market services together, the companies said.

The partnership, scheduled to be announced on Tuesday, will focus on public

key infrastructure (PKI) services, which provide organizations with the ability

to encrypt data and verify the identity of parties in online transactions,

executives said.

The deal is a big win for VeriSign, whose technology and services will reach

a broader market by being resold by IBM Global Services, the largest technology

services provider with more than 20,000 worldwide customers. The financial terms

of the deal were not disclosed.

The first jointly developed offering will be a new service based on VeriSign-managed

PKI services and IBM's Tivoli Policy Director software, which allows

organizations to control who can access data, the companies said.

The service is expected to be available in the second half of 2002, said Anil

Pereira, senior vice president and group general manger of VeriSign's enterprise

and service provider division.

IBM, which appears to be moving away from its own PKI technology with the

alliance, announced that it was making a major push into computer security in

November. At that time, IBM announced a tie-up with Kroll, which provides

physical security services for corporate clients.

(C) Reuters Limited.