Microsoft and VeriSign Provide First Technology For Secure Downloading of Software ...
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`Microsoft and VeriSign Provide
`Press Tools
`First Technology For Secure
`Downloading of Software Over
`the Internet
`
`August 7, 1996 |
`
`Microsoft PressPass – Microsoft and VeriSign Provide
`First Technology For Secure Downloading of Software
`Over the Internet
`
`REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 7, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. and
`VeriSign Inc. today announced that the first technology
`to allow secure downloading of software over the
`Internet is now available. Using VeriSign’s Digital IDsSM
`for software publishers, the new Microsoft®
`Authenticode technology uniquely identifies the
`publisher of a piece of software and provides assurance
`to end users that it has not been tampered with or
`modified. The combined technologies provide
`accountability for software distributed over the Internet,
`and protect against the spread of malicious code.
`Authenticode technology is supported today in
`Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0, beta 2.
`
`“VeriSign is pleased to have worked with Microsoft to
`provide the first Digital ID service for Authenticode,
`allowing users to securely download content over the
`Internet,”
`said Stratton Sclavos, president and CEO of VeriSign Inc.
`
`Microsoft, NXP
`Semiconductors, IAV
`and auto mobility
`partners showcase
`
`Microsoft offers
`grants to
`organizations
`working to improve
`
`Microsoft and
`partners showcase
`cloud-enabled
`solutions for law
`
`Renault-Nissan and
`Microsoft partner to
`deliver the future of
`
`https://news.microsoft.com/1996/08/07/microsoft-and-verisign-provide-first-technology-for...
`
`6/8/2017
`
`CS-1015
`Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Finjan, Inc.
`
`

`

`Microsoft and VeriSign Provide First Technology For Secure Downloading of Software ...
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`Page 2 of 9
`
`“The Internet’s global reach provides an incredible
`distribution channel for software vendors. With this
`service, users can feel confident that the applications
`they receive are authentic and tamper-proof.”
`
`Microsoft unveils
`new offerings to
`empower IT and
`
`Uses Digital Signature Technology
`
`Under the Authenticode program, developers must go
`through an application and verification process to
`ensure that certificates are issued only to the
`appropriate party. This eliminates any worry that
`developers could be falsely represented by an impostor.
`Once developers have been through this process, they
`then obtain a digital certificate from a certifying
`authority such as VeriSign. Then, before releasing their
`code on the Internet, developers apply their digital
`signature to the code using Microsoft Authenticode
`technology.
`
`“We’re very excited that end users can now download
`software over the Internet, feel confident about where
`the software came from, and know that it hasn’t been
`altered in transit,”
`said Pat Boyle, product manager for RealAudio
`development tools at Progressive Networks.
`
`” N
`
`ow users can download the RealAudio ActiveX
`™Control and feel confident it is the real thing.”
`
`Developers can sign code created with any development
`tool – including ActiveX Controls, Java
`™
`applications, executables and dynamic link libraries
`(DLLs). Once these programs have been signed, users
`can validate that the code has not been modified after
`the signature was attached. If code has been tampered
`with, Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 displays a warning
`that the digital signature could not be verified, thereby
`alerting the user to the risk of compromised code.
`
`“Authenticode technology is an important complement
`to any existing Java environment,”
`said B.C. Krishna, vice president of technology for
`FutureTense Inc.
`
`https://news.microsoft.com/1996/08/07/microsoft-and-verisign-provide-first-technology-for...
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`6/8/2017
`
`

`

`Microsoft and VeriSign Provide First Technology For Secure Downloading of Software ...
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`
`“By using Authenticode to digitally sign the Java-
`powered FutureTense Texture Viewer, we provide an
`extra layer of security that our customers seek.”
`
`Open Industry Standard
`
`Authenticode and VeriSign’s Digital ID service support
`Internet standards, including the X.509 certificate format
`and PKCS #7 signature blocks. In April 1996, Microsoft
`submitted a code-signing proposal supported by more
`than 40 companies to the World Wide Web Consortium
`(W3C) to facilitate the standardization of criteria for
`responsible software publishing, and the format of the
`digital certificates and signatures. Microsoft is
`continuing to work with the W3C to ensure that code-
`signing technology remains based upon open, cross-
`platform standards. The code-signing specification is
`also freely available for any software vendor to
`implement independently.
`
`“The development of Authenticode reflects Microsoft’s
`commitment to creating open and interoperable security
`technologies for the Internet community,”
`said Hank Vigil, general manager of the electronic
`commerce group at Microsoft.
`“Microsoft is pleased to be working with the standards
`bodies and a broad range of technology partners. In
`particular, VeriSign has played a critical role in providing
`authentication services and pioneering this new
`technology with Microsoft.”
`
`Microsoft Internet Security Framework
`
`Authenticode is part of the Microsoft Internet Security
`Framework (MISF), a comprehensive set of cross-
`platform, interoperable security technologies for
`electronic commerce and online communications that
`support Internet security standards. MISF includes
`certificate services for management and authentication,
`a certificate server, support for client authentication, and
`
`a “
`
`wallet.”
`Additional MISF services include comprehensive
`cryptography services, code signing, an implementation
`
`https://news.microsoft.com/1996/08/07/microsoft-and-verisign-provide-first-technology-for...
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`6/8/2017
`
`

`

`Microsoft and VeriSign Provide First Technology For Secure Downloading of Software ...
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`
`of the Secure Electronic Transactions (SET) protocol for
`credit-card transactions, secure transfer of personal
`security information, and support for secure sockets
`layer (SSL) and private communications technology
`(PCT) protocols. Availability and Pricing
`
`Authenticode technology is supported today in
`Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0, beta 2. It will be
`implemented in the final release of Microsoft Internet
`Explorer 3.0 and the Windows NT® and Windows® 95
`operating systems shortly, with subsequent porting to
`Macintosh® and UNIX®
`operating systems. Authenticode technology is available
`free of charge.
`
`Digital IDs (Class 2) for individual software publishers at
`$20 or Digital IDs (Class 3) for commercial software
`publishers at $400 are now available through VeriSign’s
`Digital ID CentersSM.
`
`Software companies and individual developers
`interested in signing their code need to obtain the
`Authenticode toolkit in the ActiveX SDK
`( http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/misc/activexsdk/ )
`that contains public and private key generation as well
`as code-signing utilities. Developers can then apply for a
`software publisher digital certificate from VeriSign’s
`Digital ID Center ( (http://digitalid.verisign.com/ ).
`
`Software Companies Already Using Authenticode
`
`Twenty software developers have already signed their
`code using Microsoft’s Authenticode technology and
`VeriSign’s Digital ID service. Microsoft will use VeriSign
`brand code-signing Digital IDs during the next 12
`months. The leading software vendors using the
`Authenticode service include Autodesk Inc., Citrix
`Systems Inc., Cornerstone Imaging Inc., Dimension X,
`Farallon Communications Inc., Fulcrum Technologies
`Inc., FutureTense Inc., FutureWave Software Inc., ichat
`Inc., mBED Software, Media Architects Inc., Microcom
`Inc., Narrative Communications Corp., nCompass Labs
`Inc., Progressive Networks, Software Publishing Corp.,
`
`https://news.microsoft.com/1996/08/07/microsoft-and-verisign-provide-first-technology-for...
`
`6/8/2017
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`

`

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`
`Starfish Software Inc., Totally Hip Software Inc.,
`Tumbleweed Software Corp. and Vivo Software Inc.
`
`For more information about Authenticode and
`Microsoft’s Internet Security Framework, see the
`following Web sites:
`http://www.microsoft.com/security/ or
`http://www.microsoft.com /intdev/signcode/.
`
`VeriSign Inc., the only company focused 100 percent on
`digital authentication products and services, provides its
`customers with the confidence necessary to conduct
`electronic commerce worldwide. VeriSign Digital IDs use
`today’s strongest cryptographic techniques to provide a
`trusted means of authenticating the identity of each
`party in an electronic transaction. They play a key role in
`ensuring the security for electronic transactions and
`communications. VeriSign is leading the industry by
`being first to market with server Digital IDs, client Digital
`IDs and now test SET certificates.
`
`VeriSign was founded as a spin-off of RSA Data Security
`in April 1995. The company is working with its investors
`and partners such as Microsoft, Netscape, AOL and IBM
`to open the digital marketplace to all consumers. For
`more information, contact VeriSign at (415) 961-7500, or
`visit their Web site at (http://www.verisign.com/) .
`
`Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
`“MSFT”
`) is the worldwide leader in software for personal
`computers. The company offers a wide range of
`products and services for business and personal use,
`each designed with the mission of making it easier and
`more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full
`power of personal computing every day.
`
`Microsoft, ActiveX, Windows NT and Windows are either
`registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
`in the United States and/or other countries.
`
`VeriSign is a service mark and trademark and Digital ID
`and Digital ID Center are service marks of VeriSign Inc.
`
`https://news.microsoft.com/1996/08/07/microsoft-and-verisign-provide-first-technology-for...
`
`6/8/2017
`
`

`

`Microsoft and VeriSign Provide First Technology For Secure Downloading of Software ...
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`
`Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems Inc.
`
`Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer
`Inc.
`
`UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and
`other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open
`Company Ltd.
`
`For more information, press only:
`
`Microsoft
`
`Julie Hatchett, MacKenzie Kesselring, (801) 359-1005,
`julieh@mkinc.com
`
`VeriSign
`
`Margit Wennmachers, (415) 512-0500,
`margit@bando.com
`
`Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing
`additional information on Microsoft, please visit the
`Microsoft Web page at http://microsoft.com/presspass/
`on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.
`
`Media Contact List
`
`Autodesk Inc. (http://www.autodesk.com/) Garth
`Bradley (415) 507-6530
`
`Citrix Systems Inc. (http://www.citrix.com/) Vicky Harris
`(954) 340-2246
`
`Cornerstone Imaging Inc.
`(http://www.pixtran.com/top/products/isisez/activex/)
`Dana E. Parker (408) 325-3978
`
`Dimension X (http://www.dimensionx.com/) Megan
`McFeely (415) 243-0900
`
`https://news.microsoft.com/1996/08/07/microsoft-and-verisign-provide-first-technology-for...
`
`6/8/2017
`
`

`

`Microsoft and VeriSign Provide First Technology For Secure Downloading of Software ...
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`Page 7 of 9
`
`Farallon Communications Inc.
`(http://www.farallon.com/) Amal Abed (510) 814-5307
`
`Fulcrum Technologies Inc. (http://www.fulcrum.com/)
`Gillian Brouse (613) 238-1761 ext. 251
`
`FutureTense Inc. (http://www.futuretense.com/) B.C.
`Krishna (508) 263-5480
`
`FutureWave Software Inc.
`(http://www.futurewave.com/) Xenia Moore (619) 274-
`5959
`
`ichat Inc. (http://www.ichat.com/) Harry Pape (512) 349-
`0339 ext. 27
`
`mBED Software (http://www.mbed.com/) William Ford
`(415) 778-0933
`
`Media Architects Inc. (http://www.mediarch.com/) Paul
`Needham (503) 639-2505
`
`Microcom Inc. (http://www.microcom.com/) Tom May
`(617) 551-1696
`
`Narrative Communications Corp.
`(http://www.narrative.com/) Alexandra Trevelyan (617)
`768-2000 nCompass Labs Inc.
`(http://www.ncompasslabs.com/)
`
`Lydia Loizides (604) 606-0950
`
`Progressive Networks (http://www.realaudio.com/) Jay
`Wampold (206) 674-2700
`
`Software Publishing Corp. (http://www.spco.com/)
`Helen Kendrick (408) 537-3197
`
`Starfish Software Inc.
`(http://www.starfishsoftware.com/) Gregg Armstrong
`(408) 461-5840
`
`https://news.microsoft.com/1996/08/07/microsoft-and-verisign-provide-first-technology-for...
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`Microsoft and VeriSign Provide First Technology For Secure Downloading of Software ...
`
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`
`Totally Hip Software Inc. (http://www.totallyhip.com/)
`Shelley Voyer (604) 685-6525
`
`Tumbleweed Software Corp.
`(http://www.tumbleweed.com/) Mark Pastore (415)
`569-3686
`
`Vivo Software Inc. (http://www.vivo.com/) Daud Power
`(617) 899-8900 ext. 313
`
`https://news.microsoft.com/1996/08/07/microsoft-and-verisign-provide-first-technology-for...
`
`6/8/2017
`
`

`

`Microsoft and VeriSign Provide First Technology For Secure Downloading of Software ...
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