Windows 2000 launches soon, with
built in
certification authority. Its
v2 (ie. it works) and v3 will
be a killer
app meeting enterprise security
needs. Digital
Certifcates play second fiddle to a
rival
authentication technology "Kerberos". The VRSN
hype looks
over - speaking as an 18 month
long who finally
cut most of a now
sizable holding.
The
current ENTU offer is all to raise capital
to directly
take on VRSN in the service
business. With stronger
technology, and
a later market, ENTU probably have
what
it takes to win now. The insurance industry,
the
audit industry, and the accounting
industry have
accepted the cost/risk/revenue
models for certificte
sevice businesses;
VRSN pioneers have done the world
a dutiful
service. Others will probably
exploit
this achievement.
The recent acquisitions by
VRSN look
dodgy; VRSN faces monopoly actions.
The
Thawte acquisition looks like an attempt
to prevent a
threatened cert-price collapse,
and could represent
unfair competitive practice vs ENTU certs. There are
rumors of
regulatory disapproval of VRSN quality
standards, also.
Can the VRSN exec team execute
growth?
Absolutely! but their success as VRSN
may not have much to
do with digital
certificates or trust! VRSN execs
know
how to sell, sell stock, and do deals; this
is
sufficient for an investor fling, if
nothing else
warrants the risk. But not too
much, now.
P.