Web industry recognizes the need for Identity Assurance:

Opera's latest Beta version differentiates between High and Low Assurance SSL providers

New York, NJ – February 28, 2005 – Comodo Inc., the world's second largest and fastest growing High Assurance CA (Certification Authority), today applauded the critical identity assurance mechanism integrated in the latest Beta version of the Opera browser released last Friday.

"The speed at which browser vendors have offered workable solutions to the IDN (Internationalized Domain Names) issue really confirms the need for identity assurance," says Steve Roylance, Vice President of Global Technical Marketing for Comodo. "Presenting a trusted identity to consumers is of vital importance to all e-commerce enterprises, both large and small, and Opera's high assurance solution helps people feel safer on the Web by providing them with identity information from Web sites' SSL certificates alongside the URL. What low-assurance providers actually issue is no better than self signed 'encryption only' certificates. The future success of the Internet is dependant on bringing back the trust and assurance consumers have recently lost due to the epidemic increase in phishing attacks."

Whereas low assurance, "domain-only", certificates simply yield confirmation of the URL, high assurance certificates reveal the identity of the organization operating the site. The differentiation provides Internet users with the information they need to evaluate a site's authenticity and avoid being scammed.

"One of the most important measures to counter phishing attacks is the use of security certificates," said Christen Krogh, Opera's Vice President of Engineering, in connection with Opera's latest Beta release. "The challenge for browser vendors is to better explain the verification of certificates and to make the user more aware of this additional verification before entering into secure transactions."

An example.

Consumers using Internet Explorer can differentiate between SSL providers immediately by installing Comodo's VEngine upgrade. As part of a portfolio of patent pending Anti-Phishing solutions and services, customers can protect themselves against the risks involved with identity theft.

Enterprises wishing to upgrade to a high-assurance SSL Certificate can do so through Instantssl.com, Comodo's Web store, and one of the most well regarded brands in the SSL marketplace for service and support.

About Comodo

The Comodo companies provide the infrastructure that is essential in enabling e-merchants, other Internet-connected companies, software companies, and individual consumers to interact and conduct business via the Internet safely and securely. The Comodo companies offer PKI SSL, Code Signing, Content Verification and Email Certificate; award winning PC Security software;  Vulnerability Scanning services for PCI Compliance; secure e-mail and fax services.   

Continual innovation, a core competence in PKI, and a commitment to reversing the growth of Internet-crime distinguish the Comodo companies as vital players in the Internet's ongoing development. Comodo secures and authenticates online transactions and communications for over 200,000 business customers and 3,000,000 users of our desktop security products. 

For additional information on Comodo – Creating Trust Online® visit Comodo.com

For more information, reporters and analysts may contact:

Comodo
Email: media-relations@comodo.com
Office: +1 (888) 266-6361