Verisign and partners aim to secure wireless Web transactions

Verisign and Motorola have announced a pact to develop safer wireless ecommerce transations.

The authentication specialist said it will also work with Infospace.com and Gemplus to develop secure Web technologies.

Versign provides security services which include authentication, validation and payment. Richard Yanowitch, the company's vice president of worldwide marketing, said its goal is to bring the same level of trusted transaction capabilities found in the wired world to the wireless market. This will enable "confidence in ecommerce over Internet enabled wireless devices [to] grow," he explained.

Verisign will work with Motorola to incorporate its technology into browsers that run on Motorola mobile phones. These products are expected to ship later this year, the companies said.

The partners will also combine their technologies for use in secure wireless transactions. For example, currently a Motorola WAP Server using Verisign signed certificates allows Internet enabled wireless devices to make secure ecommerce transactions.

"By using Verisign's global trust infrastructure we expect to enable people to perform critical secure transactions where and when they want to do them," said Janiece Webb, senior vice president and general manager of Motorola's personal networking group.

Separately, Verisign announced an agreement with Infospace.com, a provider of infrastructure services for websites and wireless devices, and smartcard specialist Gemplus, to develop personalised secure wireless Internet services.

Infospace will provide Web software and services that simplify online shopping from wireless devices such as cellphones, and guarantee the data is secure. Verisign and Gemplus will develop Internet security software.