VeriSign (VRSN)

8.  Exercise of Options.

8.1  Exercise Period.    Subject to the provisions of Section 8.5 below, Options shall be exercisable as they vest.

8.2  Notice.    Options may be exercised only by delivery to the Company of an exercise agreement in a form approved by the Committee stating the number of Shares being purchased, the restrictions imposed on the Shares and such representations and agreements regarding the Optionee’s investment intent and access to information as may be required by the Company to comply with applicable securities laws, together with payment in full of the exercise price for the number of Shares being purchased.

8.3  Payment.    Payment for the Shares purchased upon exercise of an Option may be made (a) in cash or by check; (b) by surrender of shares of Common Stock of the Company that have been owned by the Optionee for more than six (6) months (and which have been paid for within the meaning of SEC Rule 144 and, if such shares were purchased from the Company by use of a promissory note, such note has been fully paid with respect to such shares) or were obtained by the Optionee in the open public market, having a Fair Market Value equal to the exercise price of the Option; (c) by waiver of compensation due or accrued to the Optionee for services rendered; (d) provided that a public market for the Company’s stock exists, through a “same day sale” commitment from the Optionee and a broker-dealer that is a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers (an “NASD Dealer”) whereby the Optionee irrevocably elects to exercise the Option and to sell a portion of the Shares so purchased to pay for the exercise price and whereby the NASD Dealer irrevocably commits upon receipt of such Shares to forward the exercise price directly to the Company; (e) provided that a public market for the Company’s stock exists, through a “margin” commitment from the Optionee and an NASD Dealer whereby the Optionee irrevocably elects to exercise the Option and to pledge the Shares so purchased to the NASD Dealer in a margin account as security for a loan from the NASD Dealer in the amount of the exercise price, and whereby the NASD Dealer irrevocably commits upon receipt of such Shares to forward the exercise price directly to the Company; or (f) by any combination of the foregoing.

8.4  Withholding Taxes.    Prior to issuance of the Shares upon exercise of an Option, the Optionee shall pay or make adequate provision for any federal or state withholding obligations of the Company, if applicable.

8.5  Limitations on Exercise.    Notwithstanding the exercise periods set forth in the Grant, exercise of an Option shall always be subject to the following limitations:

(a)  An Option shall not be exercisable unless such exercise is in compliance with the Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws, as they are in effect on the date of exercise.

(b)  The Committee may specify a reasonable minimum number of Shares that may be purchased upon any exercise of an Option, provided that such minimum number will not prevent the Optionee from exercising the full number of Shares as to which the Option is then exercisable.

9.  Nontransferability of Options.    During the lifetime of the Optionee, an Option shall be exercisable only by the Optionee or by the Optionee’s guardian or legal representative, unless otherwise determined by the Committee. No Option may be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, unless otherwise determined by the Committee.

10.  Privileges of Stock Ownership.    No Optionee shall have any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to any Shares subject to an Option until the Option has been validly exercised. No adjustment shall be made for dividends or distributions or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date of exercise, except as provided in this Plan. The Company shall provide to each Optionee a copy of the annual financial statements of the Company at such time after the close of each fiscal year of the Company as they are released by the Company to its stockholders.

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11.  Adjustment of Option Shares.    In the event that the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company is changed by a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, combination, reclassification or similar change in the capital structure of the Company without consideration, the number of Shares available under this Plan and the number of Shares subject to outstanding Options and the exercise price per share of such outstanding Options shall be proportionately adjusted, subject to any required action by the Board or stockholders of the Company and compliance with applicable securities laws; provided, however, that no fractional shares shall be issued upon exercise of any Option and any resulting fractions of a Share shall be rounded up to the nearest whole Share.

12.  No Obligation to Continue as Director.    Nothing in this Plan or any Option granted under this Plan shall confer on any Optionee any right to continue as a director of the Company.

13.  Compliance With Laws.    The grant of Options and the issuance of Shares upon exercise of any Options shall be subject to and conditioned upon compliance with all applicable requirements of law, including without limitation compliance with the Securities Act, compliance with all other applicable state securities laws and compliance with the requirements of any stock exchange or national market system on which the Shares may be listed. The Company shall be under no obligation to register the Shares with the SEC or to effect compliance with the registration or qualification requirement of any state securities laws, stock exchange or national market system.

14.  Acceleration of Options on Certain Corporate Transactions.    In the event of (a) a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, (b) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a merger or consolidation with a wholly-owned subsidiary, a reincorporation of the Company in a different jurisdiction, or other transaction in which there is no substantial change in the stockholders of the Company or their relative stock holdings and the Options granted under this Plan are assumed, converted or replaced by the successor corporation, which assumption, conversion or replacement will be binding on all Optionees), (c) a merger in which the Company is the surviving corporation but after which the stockholders of the Company (other than any stockholder which merges (or which owns or controls another corporation which merges) with the Company in such merger) cease to own their shares or other equity interests in the Company, (d) the sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, or (e) the acquisition, sale or transfer of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Company by tender offer or similar transaction, the vesting of all options granted pursuant to this Plan will accelerate and the options will become exercisable in full prior to the consummation of such event at such times and on such conditions as the Committee determines, and must be exercised, if at all, within six months of the consummation of said event. Any options not exercised within such six-month period shall expire.

15.  Amendment or Termination of Plan.    The Board may at any time terminate or amend this Plan or any outstanding option, provided that the Board may not terminate or amend the terms of any outstanding option without the consent of the Optionee. In any case, no amendment of this Plan may adversely affect any then outstanding Options or any unexercised portions thereof without the written consent of the Optionee.

16.  Term of Plan.    Options may be granted pursuant to this Plan from time to time within a period of ten (10) years from the Effective Date.

17.  Certain Definitions.    As used in this Plan, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

17.1  “Parent” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company if each of such corporations other than the Company owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.

17.2  “Subsidiary” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the

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unbroken chain owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.

17.3  “Affiliate” means any corporation that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with, another corporation, where “control” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to cause the direction of the management and policies of the corporation, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

17.4  “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of a share of the Company’s Common Stock determined as follows:

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