SACA the first CA in South Africa to issue WAP certificates

Local VeriSign affiliate, the South African Certification Agency (SACA), has become the first Certification Authority in South Africa to be able to issue WAP certificates for securing wireless e-commerce transactions.

This follows more than 12-months successful development of a wireless PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) architecture by VeriSign Inc., the world leader in digital certification security for wired Internet users.

Roll out of related products and services has already started, with WTLS (Wireless Transport Layer Security) protocol server/gateway certificates now available locally from SACA, and mini-certificates for cellphones due for release shortly.

The full range of WAP solutions to be shipped later in the year also includes VeriSign OnSite for wireless clients, a wireless platform PKI enablement kit, and GoSecure packaged services for wireless e-commerce.

These provide the same vital benefits of encryption, user authentication, verification, data integrity and non-repudiation of business transactions already available to VeriSign certificate users in the wired Internet world, assures SACA managing director, Tim Ellis.

Quoting recent industry estimates, Ellis says the number of wireless Internet clients worldwide is expected to exceed the number of wired PC/Internet clients by 2004.

"The penetration of digital wireless phones is expected to reach one billion by 2003 and deployment of other mobile wireless data products such as wireless capable PDAs and new generation two-way pagers is also rapidly gaining momentum," he continues.

"Users will soon be able to use these devices to access commercial applications such as mobile electronic banking, brokerage and retailing. However, security concerns will be even greater than on the wired Internet."

Ellis argues that wireless e-commerce will only be successful if participants have sufficient confidence that transactions are genuine and cannot be altered or accessed without proper authorisation, that they are legally binding, and that confidentiality of data can be guaranteed.

"That trust will depend upon the deployment of PKI technology," he adds.

"VeriSign has assumed the leadership role in the provision of PKI solutions and services for the emerging wireless market, and SACA is now uniquely positioned in South Africa to offer it the same level of security we already offer our wired Internet clients."