Thawte

Thawte is a certificate-authority brand associated with X.509 digital certificates, TLS/SSL website security, and related public-key infrastructure services. It was founded in South Africa in 1995 by Mark Shuttleworth, initially operating from his parents' garage. Shuttleworth established the company partly to develop secure Internet-server technology outside the restrictions then imposed by the United States on the export of cryptographic software. The company's early technical work included Sioux, a fork of the Apache HTTP Server. As the business developed, Thawte moved its emphasis toward certification services and its server technology was later integrated with the Stronghold web server. Its certificate business benefited from early browser recognition: Thawte and VeriSign certificates were included in the first Netscape browsers and were consequently carried into later browser trust stores. This initial trust-store position gave both companies an important advantage in the early commercial certificate market. In 1999, VeriSign acquired Thawte from Shuttleworth in a stock transaction reported at US$575 million. The transaction took place as the Internet industry was preparing for the transition into the year 2000. The acquisition also addressed concerns about the timing of VeriSign's certificate rollover and helped consolidate a major portion of the public certificate market. Shuttleworth used proceeds from the sale to pursue other projects, including his spaceflight and the creation of Canonical, the company behind the Ubuntu project. Thawte continued as a VeriSign security brand until Symantec acquired VeriSign's security business in 2010. Under Symantec, Thawte remained part of a large portfolio of public certificate authorities and website-security products. The brand was later affected by broader concerns about certificate issuance and root-certificate trust. In 2017, Symantec's web-security assets were sold to the investment firm Thoma Bravo for approximately US$1 billion, with the stated plan of combining the business with DigiCert. DigiCert subsequently became the owner of the relevant certificate assets and Thawte became part of the DigiCert portfolio. Historically, Thawte also operated a free email-certificate service known as Thawte FreeMail. Its identity-verification model used a Web of Trust in which applicants met Thawte Notaries, presented identification, and accumulated points. The points determined whether an issued certificate displayed only a membership designation or the holder's verified personal name, and users with sufficient points could themselves become notaries. This program was discontinued in November 2009. Former participants later attempted to preserve portions of the notary network through community-run OpenPGP initiatives, including the Gossamer Spider Web of Trust and CAcert-related programs. Thawte's modern role is best understood as a legacy and continuing certificate-authority brand within DigiCert rather than as an independent company. New certificates began using DigiCert Trusted Root TLS Certificate infrastructure from December 2017, reflecting the technical and organizational integration of the brand into DigiCert's trust ecosystem.

Thawte began in 1995 in South Africa, founded by Mark Shuttleworth. Its earliest ambition was to create secure Internet-server technology that was not constrained by United States cryptography-export controls. The company initially developed Sioux, an Apache HTTP Server fork, and later integrated that technology with the Stronghold web server as its commercial focus shifted toward digital certificates and certification services. The company became one of the early commercial certificate authorities whose certificates were recognized by Netscape browsers. This browser inclusion was strategically important because it allowed Thawte certificates to be trusted by a broad installed base without users having to manually configure a trust relationship. Thawte and VeriSign each held roughly half of the early public certificate market according to historical accounts cited in the brand's Wikipedia article. In 1999, VeriSign bought Thawte from Shuttleworth in a stock deal valued at a reported US$575 million. The deal occurred shortly before the year 2000 and was associated with concerns about certificate rollover and business continuity. After the sale, Shuttleworth financed later ventures, including Canonical and the Ubuntu project, as well as his spaceflight activities. Thawte continued to operate as a VeriSign brand rather than as an independent company. Symantec acquired VeriSign's security business in August 2010. Thawte consequently became part of Symantec's broader security portfolio, which included certificate authorities and website-security products. The brand also maintained a historical association with email certificates. Thawte FreeMail allowed users to obtain certificates for email addresses, while a face-to-face notary system provided optional identity verification. Notaries reviewed identification and awarded points; higher totals enabled certificates to contain the user's verified name and eventually allowed the user to serve as a notary. Thawte discontinued this Web of Trust program on 16 November 2009. The certificate-authority sector later faced increased scrutiny over issuance practices and browser trust decisions. The Thawte article links improper certificate issuance and a dispute involving Google with the untrusting of the GeoTrust Root Certificate and the later disposal of Symantec's web-security assets. In August 2017, those assets were sold to Thoma Bravo for approximately US$1 billion with the intention of combining them with DigiCert. DigiCert became the relevant owner, and Thawte was integrated into its certificate business. From 1 December 2017, new Thawte certificates were issued under DigiCert Trusted Root TLS Certificate infrastructure. This marked a significant technical transition: although Thawte retained brand recognition, its certificate issuance was tied to DigiCert's trust hierarchy. After the Web of Trust's closure, former notaries also pursued community preservation projects, including records associated with the Gossamer Spider Web of Trust and participation in CAcert programs. Thawte is therefore historically significant both as an early international certificate authority and as a brand incorporated into the modern DigiCert security portfolio.

1. 2017Transferred into DigiCert ownership

   Symantec's web-security assets, including Thawte, were sold to Thoma Bravo for integration with DigiCert.

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2. 2017DigiCert root infrastructure adopted

   New Thawte certificates began issuance under DigiCert Trusted Root TLS Certificate infrastructure on 1 December.

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3. 2010Became part of Symantec

   Symantec acquired VeriSign's security business, including the Thawte brand.

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4. 2009Web of Trust discontinued

   Thawte ended the identity-verification program associated with its free email certificates.

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5. 1999Acquisition by VeriSign

   VeriSign acquired Thawte from Shuttleworth in a stock transaction reported at US$575 million.

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6. 1995Thawte founded in South Africa

   Mark Shuttleworth founded Thawte, initially developing secure server technology and later concentrating on digital certification.

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A globally recognized certificate-authority brand focused on website encryption, digital identity, and public-key trust services, now operated within DigiCert's certificate ecosystem.

• Thawte SSL/TLS certificatesDigital certificates

  Certificates used to authenticate websites and support encrypted connections through SSL/TLS protocols. Thawte's early browser recognition made its certificates widely usable across Internet clients, while later issuance became integrated with DigiCert's trust infrastructure.

• Thawte FreeMailEmail certificates

  A historical service that allowed users to create free certificates associated with email addresses. Users could associate multiple addresses with an account, while the certificate's displayed identity depended on the user's verification status in the Thawte Web of Trust.

• Thawte Web of TrustIdentity verification

  A historical face-to-face identity-verification system for Thawte FreeMail. Thawte Notaries inspected identification and awarded points; accumulated points determined whether a certificate displayed a generic membership label or the holder's verified personal name.

• SiouxWeb server technology

  An early secure-server project developed by Thawte as a fork of the Apache HTTP Server. It was later integrated with the Stronghold web server as Thawte focused more heavily on certification services.

• 2017Integration with DigiCertM&A

  Following certificate-trust controversies, Symantec's web-security assets were sold and prepared for combination with DigiCert.

  What changed. Thawte became part of DigiCert, and new certificates moved to DigiCert Trusted Root TLS Certificate infrastructure from 1 December 2017.

  Aftermath. Thawte continued as a DigiCert-associated certificate brand rather than an independent certificate authority company.

  Reported transaction value for Symantec web-security assets. Approximately US$1 billion (2017)

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• 2009Discontinuation of the Web of TrustStrategy

  The Web of Trust supported identity verification for Thawte's free email certificates through a notary and points system.

  What changed. Thawte discontinued the program on 16 November 2009.

  Aftermath. Former participants later sought to preserve parts of the notary network through community-run OpenPGP and certification initiatives.

  Source
• 1999Sale to VeriSignM&A

  Thawte and VeriSign were major early certificate authorities with certificates already recognized by Netscape browsers.

  What changed. VeriSign acquired Thawte from Mark Shuttleworth in a stock transaction reported at US$575 million.

  Aftermath. Thawte became a VeriSign brand, while the proceeds enabled Shuttleworth to pursue later entrepreneurial and philanthropic projects.

  Reported acquisition value. US$575 million (1999)

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• 1995Shift from secure-server development toward certificationStrategy

  Thawte initially pursued secure web-server technology in response to cryptography-export restrictions, but the commercial opportunity in trusted digital identities became more significant.

  What changed. The company concentrated its business on certificate-authority and certification activities, while its server technology was integrated with Stronghold.

  Aftermath. This positioned Thawte as an early international public certificate authority.

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• 2017Certificate issuance and root-trust controversyControversy

  The brand was affected by wider controversy involving improper certificate issuance, browser-trust decisions, and a dispute with Google. The episode contributed to the loss of trust in a relevant root certificate and formed part of the background to the sale of Symantec's web-security assets.

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• 2017Thawte certificate issuance moves to DigiCert trust infrastructure

  From 1 December 2017, new Thawte certificates began being issued under DigiCert Trusted Root TLS Certificate infrastructure following the transfer and integration of the former Symantec web-security assets.

  M&AProduct generation
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• 2017Thawte becomes part of DigiCert's certificate infrastructure

  Following the sale of Symantec's web-security assets and their combination with DigiCert, new Thawte certificates began using DigiCert Trusted Root TLS Certificate infrastructure in December 2017.

  M&A
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• 2010Symantec acquires VeriSign security business

  Symantec acquired VeriSign's security business, bringing Thawte into Symantec's certificate and website-security portfolio.

  M&A
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• 2009Thawte FreeMail Web of Trust discontinued

  Thawte ended its Web of Trust program, which had supported identity verification for its free email certificates.

  Other
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• 2009Thawte Web of Trust discontinued

  Thawte ended its Web of Trust program, which had supported identity verification for its free email-certificate service.

  Other
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• 1999VeriSign acquires Thawte

  VeriSign acquired Thawte from founder Mark Shuttleworth in a stock transaction reported at US$575 million.

  M&A
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1. Thawte