thawte, VeriSign deal continues to enable Google systems

"Following Google's recent successes in expanding its product offering, which included the launch of several innovative mobile and desktop applications and services, we are elated and proud that Google has decided to renew their relationship with us," commented Ilse Baxter, thawte's Director of Business Strategy, Sales and Marketing.Google has been a Strategic Enterprise Partner of thawte’s since 2000. Over the past decade, thawte has established similar partnerships with over 3,400 enterprises across the globe."Our renewed partnership will continue to assist Google to maintain control of digital certificates overhead costs, while greatly simplifying the management of the many certificates they require for use across their many international domains," added Baxter.Google's expansion to include new platforms such as mobile has necessitated a solution that would offer them increased browser ubiquity without compromising the security of their support for the millions of desktop clients that daily access their services from all corners of the globe."Tasked with finding a solution, thawte worked with Google's team during 2005 and early 2006 to define and implement a plan to rollout multiple thawte certificates across their USA and international domains."Towards the end of Q1 we arrived at a solution that satisfied Google, resulting in the signing of a new four-year agreement to provide specific solutions, the initial phase of which we've already begun implementing," said Baxter.thawte's innovative products and trusted services have been enabling companies like Google to secure servers, encrypt communications and protect user privacy for more than a decade.During this time the Certification Authority has issued more than 620,000 SSL and Code Signing certificates, while more than a million individuals have enrolled in their free Personal E-mail certificate program."Through this and other similar agreements with other leading global brands, thawte has helped enable many businesses and individuals to communicate and transact securely."These partnerships help these companies instill greater trust and confidence in their clients and customers, thereby helping us build a trusted digital future that benefits everyone," said Baxter."The new procedures and standards will determine one standard that all CAs, wishing to offer this digital verification and authentication, has to observe. This is good for the consumer, instilling greater confidence in all users," explained Baxter.To arrange an interview please contact Cheridan Inglis, thawte's Global Head of Marketing, on:(Office) +27 21 937 8900,E-mail - pr@thawte.com