Microsoft and VeriSign have agreed to work together to overcome
the criticism levelled at Microsoft’s first .NET technologies,
code-named Hailstorm. Hailstorm is designed to give users access to
their personal information through any device and from any location
through a single log-on and authentication system based on
Microsoft’s Passport.
Hailstorm is still in the development stage and has been
criticised by both privacy and security experts. VeriSign, a
leading provider of internet trust services, was brought on board
to provide authentication and security technologies to overcome
this criticism and to give confidence to users. The problem is that
VeriSign itself has a far-from-perfect security record. Earlier
this year, Verisign was duped into signing certificates to a scam
artist posing as a Microsoft employee. These certificates could
have done immense damage to Microsoft.
In return for the provision of these services, VeriSign will
have access to the Hailstorm services throughout its business which
it hopes will increase efficiency and ease of use. Stratton
Sclavos, President and CEO of VeriSign, believes that Hailstorm
will benefit customers in that they will have "a new set of
services that facilitate secure storage and access of consumer and
business information, on-line collaboration and workflow management
and e-commerce transaction processing".
