Press Release

Gocompare.com Adopts GlobalSign EV SSL

Latest Major Brand to Increase Trust and Confidence in Online Services through use of Extended Validation (EV) SSL

London, UK – 22 Jan, 2008 – GlobalSign Ltd (www.globalsign.co.uk), one of the longest established Certification Authorities (CA) and specialists in SSL Certificate security, today announced UK insurance comparison site Gocompare.com as the latest major brand to adopt its EV SSL technology.  EV SSL triggers the new “green address bar” in Internet Explorer 7 (and the upcoming Firefox 3) and gives companies a means of visibly showing to web site visitors they are a truly authentic and secure site – a clear business differentiator for online companies affected by today’s relentless phishing attacks and a growing mistrust of online services by consumers.

EV SSL Certificates represent the most significant advancement in SSL technology since its inception over 10 years ago, and allow previously unattainable levels of website authentication using improved SSL technology and standardized company vetting practices.  New high security browsers such as IE7 and Firefox 3 identify sites using EV SSL certificates as “special” and activate the browser interface security enhancements, such as the new green address bar feature in Internet Explorer 7.  In turn, user confidence is maximised, safe in the knowledge that the website is an authentic company and has been officially identified by an audited Certification Authority vetting under standardized policies defined by the CA/Browser Forum (of which GlobalSign is a member).

“Gocompare.com’s success directly depends upon the level of trust that we can provide our customers.  As an online insurance comparison service, our customers need to be confident that, as well as being able to find the right cover for their requirements, their personal information will be completely secure.” said Dan Cassell, IT Director Gocompare.com, “Adopting the EV SSL certificate demonstrates to the customer that we are a truly secure website, and that we are able to provide them with the highest level of online trust and confidence.”

“Gocompare.com was one of the first true web 2.0 comparison sites and has quickly established itself as a well known and trusted online brand in the United Kingdom,” said Paul Tourret, Managing Director GlobalSign Ltd, “Its adoption of EV SSL cements its dedication to providing the highest levels of online security to its customers.  With such a credible brand to protect, Gocompare.com and its customers benefit immediately from the protection EV SSL certificates can provide against phishing attacks and potential identity fraud.”

For more information on EV SSL and to see a GlobalSign ExtendedSSL certificates in operation please visit http://www.globalsign.co.uk.  To compare the GlobalSign EV SSL offering with the other major EV SSL providers, please visit http://www.globalsign.co.uk/digital_certificate/ev-ssl-certificate/compare.htm.  

About EV SSL Certificates
The criteria for issuing EV Certificates (the EV Certificate Guidelines) are produced by the CA/Browser Forum, an organisation whose members include leading Certification Authorities and browser vendors, as well as representatives from the legal and audit sectors.  GlobalSign and VeriSign are two such members.

About Gocompare.com
Gocompare.com launched in November 2006 and is the first of the 'Comparison 2.0' websites with a far greater focus on product comparison as well as price, while cutting edge technology makes the customer experience slick, quick and easy. Unlike some other aggregator services Gocompare.com always provides a guaranteed quote, rather than just an estimate.  Gocompare.com comparisons are based on comparing the range of cover (using a five star rating process) and not just cost.  Gocompare.com compares motor, home, van and motorcycle insurance, and breakdown cover. For further information, go to; www.gocompare.com.

About GlobalSign
Established in 1996 and as a WebTrust accredited public certificate authority, GlobalSign offers publicly trusted SSL, including SSL Certificates, EV SSL, managed SSL services, S/MIME and Code Signing Certificates for use on all platforms including mobile devices. Its Trusted Root solution uses the widely embedded GlobalSign Root CA certificates to provide immediate PKI trust for Microsoft CA and enterprise CAs, eliminating the costs of using untrusted Root Certificates. Its partnership with Adobe to provide Certified Document Services (CDS) enables secure digitally signed PDF documents.  These core Digital Certificate solutions allow its thousands of authenticated customers to conduct secure online transactions, data transfer, distribution of tamper-proof code, and protection of online identities for secure email and access control.  The company has a history of innovation within the online security industry and has offices in the US, UK, Belgium, Japan, and China. 

GMO Internet Group
GMO Internet Group, headquartered in Japan, is a leading force in the Internet industry offering one of the most comprehensive ranges of Internet services worldwide. The group holds top domestic market share in domain registration, web hosting, and payment processing and provides a host of other Internet services including global online security services, e-commerce solutions, and Internet advertising to both businesses and individuals. At the centre of the group is GMO Internet, Inc. a company listed on the prestigious first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE: 9449). Please visit www.gmo.jp/en for further details.

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