CyberTrust

CyberTrust was an information-security company created in Virginia in November 2004 through the merger of BeTrusted and TruSecure, two businesses with roots in digital certificates, public-key infrastructure, managed security, and electronic-commerce protection. The company’s antecedents extended to GTE Corporation’s Government Systems Information Security Directorate, which developed CyberTrust as a security-services operation focused on authentication, privacy, data integrity, and non-repudiation enabled by public-key encryption. The CyberTrust lineage passed through several corporate owners before the 2004 merger. In 2000, GTE sold CyberTrust to Baltimore Technologies of Ireland for a reported $150 million. Baltimore later divested its operating companies and digital-certificate activities. In 2003, those operations were transferred to BeTrusted Holdings, while TruSecure remained a separate security-services provider. BeTrusted announced its intention to combine with TruSecure in September 2004, and the resulting company was incorporated as CyberTrust in November of that year. CyberTrust pursued international expansion and sought to build scale in managed information security. One important transaction involved Ubizen, a Belgium-based European security-services company. CyberTrust acquired a majority stake and subsequently used that position to require the acquisition of the remaining shares, resulting in Ubizen’s delisting in 2005. The transaction helped CyberTrust become one of the larger international information-security providers of its period. In 2007, Verizon Business acquired CyberTrust. The transaction reunited the business with a corporate family connected to its historical GTE origins, since Verizon had been formed through the combination of GTE and Bell Atlantic. Financial terms for the acquisition were not disclosed. Following the acquisition, CyberTrust’s activities and assets were integrated into Verizon’s enterprise security and certificate businesses rather than continuing as an independent company. The CyberTrust name remained particularly significant in digital certificates and trusted-root infrastructure. In 2015, DigiCert acquired the CyberTrust root certificates and associated trusted-root and intermediate-certificate management activities from Verizon. DigiCert described the transaction as strengthening its position in high-assurance SSL certificates. Verizon continued to offer SSL certificates as a DigiCert reseller. The later certificate relationship did not restore CyberTrust as an independent security-services company; instead, it represented the transfer and continued operation of selected trust infrastructure under DigiCert. The historical CyberTrust should be distinguished from Cybertrust Japan, a separate Japanese security business that later partnered with DigiCert. The Wikipedia subject covered here is the former international security-services company created in the United States in 2004, not the Japanese company or other unrelated businesses using the CyberTrust name.

CyberTrust’s origins lay in GTE Corporation’s Government Systems Information Security Directorate. The operation was established to address electronic-commerce and enterprise-security requirements through authentication, privacy, integrity, and non-repudiation technologies based on public-key encryption. This background gave the CyberTrust name an early association with digital identity, certificate infrastructure, and trust services rather than with consumer cybersecurity products. GTE sold CyberTrust to Baltimore Technologies in 2000 for a reported $150 million. Baltimore later reorganized and divested operating companies, including digital-certificate activities. In 2003, these operations were transferred to BeTrusted Holdings. BeTrusted had its own corporate history involving PricewaterhouseCoopers and One Equity Partners, while related security assets and operations were also assembled through transactions involving companies such as 90 East and SecureNet. In September 2004, BeTrusted announced a combination with TruSecure, a former competitor in security services. The merged company was incorporated in Virginia in November 2004 under the CyberTrust name. Its offering scope included managed information security, authentication, public-key infrastructure, digital certificates, and services designed to protect electronic commerce and enterprise communications. CyberTrust expanded in Europe through its investment in Ubizen, a Belgian security-services provider. After obtaining a majority shareholding, CyberTrust caused the remaining shares to be acquired and Ubizen to be delisted in 2005. The move increased CyberTrust’s international scale and contributed to its description as one of the larger information-security firms operating across multiple markets. Verizon Business acquired CyberTrust in 2007. The purchase returned the business to a corporate environment historically connected to GTE, one of the companies whose merger with Bell Atlantic created Verizon. Verizon did not disclose the acquisition price. CyberTrust thereafter ceased to operate as an independent company, with its services and assets incorporated into Verizon’s enterprise-security activities. The CyberTrust brand continued to have importance in certificate trust infrastructure after the corporate acquisition. In 2015, DigiCert acquired the CyberTrust root certificates and related trusted-root and intermediate-certificate management activities. DigiCert characterized the deal as expanding its high-assurance SSL certificate position. Verizon remained a reseller of SSL certificates, while DigiCert became responsible for managing the transferred trust assets. The 2015 transition also included a relationship with Cybertrust Japan. DigiCert and Cybertrust Japan announced Cyber Secure Asia, a wholly owned subsidiary intended to promote DigiCert certificate technology in Southeast Asia from Singapore. This later Japanese partnership should not be confused with the historical CyberTrust company documented in the canonical Wikipedia article. The former CyberTrust security-services company is best understood as an acquired corporate brand whose operating businesses moved through Verizon, while parts of its certificate trust legacy continued under DigiCert.

1. 2015DigiCert acquires CyberTrust root certificates

   DigiCert acquired the CyberTrust root certificates and assumed management of related certificate trust infrastructure.

   Source
2. 2007Verizon Business acquisition

   Verizon Business acquired CyberTrust, ending its independent corporate existence.

   Source
3. 2005Ubizen is taken private

   CyberTrust’s majority position in Ubizen led to the acquisition of the remaining shares and the Belgian company’s delisting.

   Source
4. 2004CyberTrust is formed

   BeTrusted and TruSecure combined, and the resulting company was incorporated in Virginia as CyberTrust in November.

   Source
5. 2003Digital-certificate operations move to BeTrusted

   Baltimore Technologies divested operating companies and digital-certificate operations, which were transferred to BeTrusted Holdings.

   Source
6. 2000GTE sells CyberTrust to Baltimore Technologies

   GTE sold CyberTrust to Ireland-based Baltimore Technologies in a transaction reported at $150 million.

   Source

CyberTrust was positioned as an international enterprise information-security provider combining managed security services with digital certificates, public-key infrastructure, authentication, and electronic-commerce protection. Its later strategic value centered on trusted certificate infrastructure, which continued under Verizon and then DigiCert.

• Managed information-security servicesEnterprise security services

  CyberTrust’s core business was the provision of information-security services for enterprises and electronic commerce. Its historical scope included security operations and related services intended to protect communications, systems, transactions, and organizational data. The company’s service model combined operational security expertise with identity and certificate technologies rather than focusing solely on an end-user software package.

• CyberTrust digital certificates and trusted rootsDigital identity and certificate services

  CyberTrust was associated with digital certificates, public-key infrastructure, and trusted root certificates used to support authentication and encrypted communications. These assets formed an important part of the brand’s later legacy. DigiCert acquired the CyberTrust root certificates in 2015 and assumed management of the associated trust hierarchy, while Verizon continued to act as a reseller for SSL certificates.

• Authentication and electronic-commerce securityIdentity and transaction security

  The company’s originating security proposition addressed authentication, privacy, integrity, and non-repudiation for electronic commerce. These capabilities relied on public-key encryption and related trust mechanisms, positioning CyberTrust within the enterprise identity and secure-transaction infrastructure market.

• 2015Transfer of CyberTrust root certificates to DigiCertM&A

  After Verizon’s acquisition of CyberTrust, the brand’s certificate trust infrastructure remained commercially relevant in the SSL certificate market.

  What changed. DigiCert acquired the CyberTrust root certificates and took over management of the trusted roots and intermediate certificates. Financial terms were not disclosed.

  Aftermath. DigiCert strengthened its position in high-assurance SSL certificates, while Verizon continued offering certificates as a DigiCert reseller.

  Source
• 2007Sale to Verizon BusinessM&A

  CyberTrust had developed into a multinational information-security provider following the BeTrusted–TruSecure merger and its Ubizen investment.

  What changed. Verizon Business acquired CyberTrust. The purchase price was not disclosed.

  Aftermath. CyberTrust ceased to operate as an independent company and became part of Verizon’s enterprise-security portfolio.

  Source
• 2005Compulsory acquisition and delisting of UbizenM&A

  CyberTrust had acquired a majority stake in Ubizen, a European security-services company headquartered in Belgium.

  What changed. It used its majority shareholding to acquire the remaining Ubizen shares, after which Ubizen was delisted.

  Aftermath. The transaction expanded CyberTrust’s international operating footprint and removed Ubizen as a separately listed company.

  Source

• 2015DigiCert acquires CyberTrust root certificates

  DigiCert acquired CyberTrust’s root certificates and assumed management of the related trusted-root and intermediate-certificate infrastructure. Verizon continued to resell SSL certificates.

  M&A
  Source
• 2015DigiCert and Cybertrust Japan announce Cyber Secure Asia partnership

  Following the certificate-business transaction, DigiCert partnered with Cybertrust Japan and announced Cyber Secure Asia, a wholly owned subsidiary intended to market DigiCert certificate technology in Southeast Asia from Singapore.

  Other
  Source
• 2007Verizon Business acquires CyberTrust

  Verizon Business acquired CyberTrust, bringing the security-services business into Verizon’s enterprise portfolio. The financial terms were not disclosed.

  M&A
  Source
• 2005CyberTrust acquires remaining Ubizen shares and delists the company

  After acquiring a majority stake in Belgian security-services company Ubizen, CyberTrust used its position to acquire the remaining shares, resulting in Ubizen’s delisting.

  M&A
  Source
• 2004BeTrusted and TruSecure announce merger plan

  BeTrusted announced its intention to merge with former competitor TruSecure, leading to the incorporation of CyberTrust in Virginia later that year.

  M&A
  Source

1. CyberTrust