BT offers digital certificates

BT has become the first organisation to offer a digital certification service in the UK with its Trustwise service.

Digital certification ensures that transactions over the Internet are secure, BT claims. Trustwise also confirms the identity of all the parties involved in any data transfer, and is suitable for Web sites, intranets and personal use.

The service is the result of BT's alliance with digital certificate developer, Verisign.

Verisign's chief executive, Stratton Sclavos, said it chose BT to distribute its certification product because it's ideally placed and well branded in the UK market.

A BT spokesman said the service is limited to the UK at the moment, but he added that the company will probably create alliances across Europe to expand the operation into other countries.