VeriSign - Definition and Overview

VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN (http://quotes.nasdaq.com/asp/SummaryQuote.asp?symbol=VRSN&selected=VRSN)) is, among other things, the operator of the .com and .net generic top-level domains, and a certificate authority for X.500 certificates.

Between 15 September 2003 and 4 October 2003, VeriSign operated a wildcard DNS record for all .com and .net domain names not yet registered by others, called Site Finder. Following the shut down of Site Finder forced by ICANN, VeriSign filed a lawsuit against ICANN on February 27 2004, claiming that the institution had overstepped its authority. Subject of the claim was not only Site Finder, but also VeriSign's much criticised Wait Listing Service. The claim was dismissed in August 2004. You can find more information about VeriSign's legal proceedings at ICANN's website (http://icann.org/general/litigation-verisign.htm).

In return for giving up (http://www.icann.org/tlds/org/) .ORG and allowing .NET to be bid in an open RFP, VeriSign effectively maintains a monopoly over the .COM domain, the largest in the world (over 34 million). In 2003, the .ORG domain was reassigned in an open RFP to the Internet Society (ISOC) (http://www.isoc.org) who partners with global domain registry services provider Afilias (http://www.afilias.info) to run the name.

VeriSign's .net contract with ICANN expires on June 30th, 2005. ICANN is currently developing procedures (http://icann.org/tlds/dotnet-reassignment/dotnet-general.htm) for choosing a subsequent registry operator.

Example Usage of VeriSign