VeriSign Partners with Vanguard Managed Solutions to Provide Retail Customers with a Best-of-Breed Suite of Cost-Effective Managed Security Services

VeriSign Partners with Vanguard Managed Solutions to Provide Retail Customers with a Best-of-Breed Suite of Cost-Effective Managed Security Services Strategic Alliance will Combine VeriSign's Managed Firewall Services with Vanguard Managed Solutions' Managed IT Infrastructure Services; Solution Customized to Address the Specific Security Needs of the Retail Market MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN), the leading provider of intelligent infrastructure services for the Internet and telecommunications networks, and Vanguard Managed Solutions (VanguardMS), the largest independent managed service provider, today announced a new Managed Security Services (MSS) offering targeted toward the retail market. This solution will be supported by VeriSign's Managed Firewall Services, as well as VanguardMS' Managed IT Infrastructure Services, providing merchants with a cost-effective means to address the specific security needs of the retail industry. With full access to VeriSign's extended portfolio of managed services, existing VanguardMS customers will be granted the ability to upgrade their security programs while maintaining a single point-of-contact with VanguardMS. "As retailers continue to automate their business processes, they need to continuously improve the speed with which they can share information between remote sites and corporate headquarters, as well as with vendors and distributors," said Chris Babel, vice president, Managed Security Services (MSS), VeriSign. "Retailers have recognized the benefit of a managed service to help protect their businesses against the corresponding risks of increased access to their networks." VeriSign and VanguardMS designed this cost effective managed service with a retailer specific security policy to span multiple remote locations. Through this partnership, the two companies will provide an integrated set of services that will include proactive device management, troubleshooting, and Web portal access, while maintaining a seamless customer interface. Further, VeriSign's highly trained security experts will become an extension of each retail customer's in-house IT staff, providing firewall log analysis, configuration, setup, alerts and 24x7 system management. The partnership will also allow retail customers to leverage VeriSign's unique view of Internet activity, obtained from processing more than 250 million security events and handling billions of global email, Domain Name System (DNS), and e-commerce interactions every day. From this data, customers benefit from receiving timely updates on security threats and other malicious activity, enabling them to take proactive action to defend their networks. "With many of VanguardMS' retail customers expanding their networks to connect remote stores to corporate systems and automated supply chains, the security issues that were once considered a low priority have now become a main focus of concern," said Steve Dalrymple, CEO and president, VanguardMS. "VanguardMS teamed with VeriSign because we recognized the need for a customized security service targeted toward the specific low-cost needs of the retail industry. This partnership enabled us to offer retail customers a cost-effective security solution that is efficient and easy to integrate, all while dramatically improving the organization's security posture." For more information on VeriSign's Managed Security Services (MSS), visit: http://www.verisign.com/products-services/security-services/managed-security- services/index.html . About VeriSign VeriSign, Inc. delivers intelligent infrastructure services that make the Internet and telecommunications networks more reliable and secure. Every day VeriSign helps thousands of businesses and millions of consumers conduct commerce and communications with confidence. Additional news and information about the company is available at www.verisign.com. About Vanguard Managed Solutions Headquartered in Mansfield, Mass., Vanguard Managed Solutions (VanguardMS) is the largest independent managed service provider on the market, and a company's trusted source for managed network and security services. Its Careguard Managed Services combines expert staff and end-to-end network and security management tools to assure businesses that their vital applications will run smoothly around the clock. With an extensive array of both services and routing products, VanguardMS owns the responsibility of ensuring maximum network uptime and performance. VanguardMS is owned by Platinum Equity (www.peh.com), a global organization specializing in the acquisition and strategic management of mission-critical companies. For more information, visit www.vanguardms.com. Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause VeriSign's actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, the uncertainty of future revenue and profitability and potential fluctuations in quarterly operating results due to such factors as the risk that VeriSign's announced strategic relationships, including the relationship described herein, may not result in additional products, services, customers, profits or revenues; and increased competition and pricing pressures. More information about potential factors that could affect the company's business and financial results is included in VeriSign's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. VeriSign undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward- looking statements after the date of this press release. Source: VeriSign, Inc. CONTACT: media, Karen McGuirk Regan, +1-781-696-2834, or kregan@verisign.com, or investors, Tom McCallum, +1-650-426-3744, or tmccallum@verisign.com, both of VeriSign, Inc. Web site: http://www.peh.com/ Web site: http://www.vanguardms.com/ Web site: http://www.verisign.com/ ------- Profile: International Entertainment