1. Why wouldn’t an IE7 browser recognize EV?
2. How does VeriSign EV Upgrader™ enable all IE7 browsers to recognize EV?
3. When will most Windows XP users have updated root stores?

Q: Why wouldn’t an IE7 browser recognize EV?
A: A browser identifies an SSL Certificate as authentic by checking to see if the certificate matches a valid SSL root resident on the client machine. VeriSign signs every EV SSL Certificate with two roots: an EV root and a traditional SSL root. With two roots, every browser will identify a valid SSL root, even older browsers that do not yet recognize EV. IE7 is designed to recognize Extended Validation, but may not correctly display in Windows XP because the traditional SSL root is matched rather than the EV root. Internet Windows XP systems do not automatically update the root store. Developed before the EV standard existed, Windows XP systems do not have the EV root locally resident unless it has been manually updated and, because the browser recognizes the traditional SSL root, it has no trigger to update the root store. VeriSign EV Upgrader technology, built directly into the VeriSign Secured® Seal, will trigger this manual update. Explorer 7 on Vista is designed to automatically update the root store on a weekly basis and should always recognize an EV Certificate and display it appropriately.

Q: How does VeriSign EV Upgrader enable all IE7 browsers to recognize EV?
A: VeriSign EV Upgrader technology is built directly into the VeriSign Secured® Seal. The first time an IE7 client on Windows XP visits a Web site with a VeriSign Secured Seal and EV Upgrader the client browser will contact a Microsoft root store service and seamlessly install the VeriSign EV root. Once the EV root is stored, it will verify VeriSign EV SSL Certificates on any Web site and display green bar and organization name appropriately. The update happens in the background and without prompting from the user.

Q: When will most Windows XP users have updated root stores?
A: Over 90,000 domains in 145 countries display the VeriSign Secured Seal. EV Upgrader has helped quickly update root stores for Windows XP IE7 users worldwide. VeriSign recommends that you install the VeriSign Secured Seal on your home page to ensure a prompt update and the display of the green address bar on transactional pages of Windows XP users.

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