VeriSign Inc.

The recent hacking attack that prompted Google's threat to leave China is underscoring the heightened dangers of previously undisclosed computer security flaws -- and renewing debate over buying and selling information about them in the black market.

Because no fix was available, the linchpin in the attack was one of the worst kinds of security holes. Criminals treasure these types of "zero day" security vulnerabilities because they are the closest to a sure thing and virtually guarantee the success of a shrewdly crafted attack.

Mountain View, Calif. – October 1, 2009 – In response to a growing demand for advanced security solutions among mobile device users, VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), the trusted provider of Internet infrastructure for the networked world, is putting its acclaimed VeriSign Identity Protection (VIP) strong authentication into the hands of millions more users.

A powerful new type of Internet attack works like a telephone tap, except operates between computers and Web sites they trust.

Hackers at the Black Hat and DefCon security conferences have revealed a serious flaw in the way Web browsers weed out untrustworthy sites and block anybody from seeing them. If a criminal infiltrates a network, he can set up a secret eavesdropping post and capture credit card numbers, passwords and other sensitive data flowing between computers on that network and sites their browsers have deemed safe.

The company that runs many of the Internet's core directory systems has won a patent for its controversial service that helps Internet users find sites even when they mistype addresses.

VeriSign Inc. said it has no intentions of resurrecting the Site Finder service, but it declined further comment on its plans for the patent, including bloggers' speculation that it could now demand licensing fees from EarthLink Inc. and other companies that have since started similar efforts.