GMO GlobalSign Named to OTA 2014 Online Trust Honor Roll, for the Fourth Year in a Row

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - Jun 11, 2014) - GlobalSign (www.globalsign.com), a leading global Certificate Authority (CA) and a provider of identity services for ecommerce, communications, content and communities, announced that for the fourth year in a row, the company was named a Top Trusted Website by the Online Trust Alliance (OTA)'s 2014 Online Trust Honor Roll. The honor reflects GlobalSign's best practices, technology and privacy approaches at a time when breaches occur with alarming regularity and the Internet of Things (IoT) magnifies the challenge to identity management and security. GlobalSign is the security division of GMO Internet, Inc. (TSE: 9449), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

The OTA, a non-profit data security, privacy and identity industry group, selects less than one third of nominated Web sites for its annual list. As the only comprehensive, composite independent audit of over two dozen best practices, the Honor Roll evaluates sites and mobile apps on the basis of three pillars of online trust:

• Brand Protection - Email authentication, domain security and anti-phishing technologies.
• Privacy - Policies and practices including data retention, user anonymity, third-party data sharing, opt-out mechanisms and observing sensitive data barriers.
• Security - Site and app configuration, Secure Socket Layer (SSL) infrastructure, presence of site vulnerabilities and observed malware and related security and data protection enhancing controls.

Selection criteria are made increasingly rigorous each year in response to the changing nature of information threats, with the 2014 methodology amended in recognition of the explosion of mobile devices used to access Web sites. Other new criteria include updated requirements surrounding SSL server configuration and cryptographic protocols, requirements for 2048 bit certificates, and for increased weighting toward phishing and fraudulent email protection.

"As mobile device use skyrockets, consumers absolutely need to know they can trust the integrity of the Web site with which they are trading personal data -- and that's exactly why we developed the Online Trust Honor Roll," said Craig Spiezle, Executive Director and President of OTA. "Companies like GlobalSign that have consistently qualified for the Honor Roll are 'north stars' -- guiding lights on responsible data security and privacy stewardship who are showing the way for others. We encourage all brands and app developers to follow the lead of those Honor Roll recipients in taking a holistic view of brand protection, and becoming stewards of consumer data. Working together this way, we can enhance online trust, promote innovation and create a safe Internet experience for all." 

"GlobalSign is honored that a respected organization such as OTA has commended our commitment to security and data privacy for four years in a row," said Joan Lockhart, CMO at GlobalSign. "Every week brings a new headline about the latest breach or threat -- while smart devices and the Internet of Things are multiplying the number of interactions between people, devices, systems and applications, creating even more potential sources of intrusion. We're proud of our culture of security and privacy, both with the innovative identity solutions we bring to market, and in providing an example to others of best practices that maintain and protect the trust of consumers." 

The OTA released the 2014 Online Trust Audit and Honor Roll report at the Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition (IRCE) in Chicago this week. To review the full 2014 Honor Roll report, please download a free copy at: https://otalliance.org/HonorRoll.html.

About The Online Trust Alliance (OTA)
The Online Trust Alliance (OTA) is a 501c3 charitable non-profit with the mission to enhance online trust and empower users, while promoting innovation and the vitality of the internet. OTA's goal is to help educate businesses, policy makers and stakeholders while developing and advancing best practices and tools to enhance the protection of users' security, privacy and identity. OTA supports collaborative public-private partnerships, benchmark reporting, meaningful self-regulation and data stewardship.

About GMO GlobalSign
GlobalSign (www.globalsign.com) has been a trust service provider since 1996 with a singular focus on providing convenient and highly productive PKI-based identity and security solutions for organizations of all sizes. Its Digital Certificate solutions allow billions of customers worldwide to conduct SSL-secured transactions with authenticated businesses, transfer data, distribute tamper-proof code, and protect online identities for secure email and access control. Vision and commitment to innovation led to GlobalSign being recognized by Frost & Sullivan for the 2011 Product Line Strategy Award. The company has local offices in the US, Europe and throughout Asia. For the latest news on GlobalSign visit www.globalsign.com or follow GlobalSign on Twitter (@globalsign).

About GMO Internet Group
GMO Internet Group is a comprehensive provider of industry-leading Internet solutions including domain name registration, cloud-based and traditional hosting, ecommerce, security, and payment processing services that each hold the top share of their respective markets in Japan. Other key business areas for the Group include online securities/FX trading, Internet advertising, search engine marketing, and smartphone game development and publishing. GMO Internet, Inc. (TSE: 9449) is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. For more information please visit: http://www.gmo.jp/en.