VeriSign (VRSN)

Independence of Directors

As required under The NASDAQ Stock Market’s listing standards, a majority of the members of our Board must qualify as “independent,” as affirmatively determined by the Board. The Board consults with our legal counsel to ensure that the Board’s determinations are consistent with all relevant securities and other laws and regulations regarding the definition of “independent,” including those set forth in pertinent listing standards of The NASDAQ Stock Market.

Consistent with these considerations, after review of all relevant transactions and relationships between each director, or any of his or her family members, and VeriSign, our executive officers and our independent registered public accounting firm, the Board affirmatively determined on February 24, 2009 that the majority of our Board is comprised of independent directors. Our independent directors are: Mr. Chenevich, Ms. Cote, Mr. Roach, Mr. Simpson, and Mr. Tomlinson. Each director who serves on the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee or the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee is an independent director. Mr. Bidzos serves as Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer on an interim basis. Mr. Moore serves as a consultant assisting VeriSign in the divestiture of its Communications Services business. Michelle Guthrie served as a director until her resignation on February 20, 2008. Scott G. Kriens served as a director until May 29, 2008. Mr. Kriens chose not to stand for re-election at our 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on May 29, 2008. William A. Roper, Jr., served as a director until his resignation as our President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board on June 30, 2008.

Independence of Directors

As required under The NASDAQ Stock Market’s listing standards, a majority of the members of our Board must qualify as “independent,” as affirmatively determined by the Board. The Board consults with our legal counsel to ensure that the Board’s determinations are consistent with all relevant securities and other laws and regulations regarding the definition of “independent,” including those set forth in pertinent listing standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

Consistent with these considerations, after review of all relevant transactions and relationships between each director, or any of his or her family members, and VeriSign, our executive officers and our independent registered public accounting firm, the Board affirmatively determined on February 20, 2008 that the majority of our Board is comprised of independent directors. Our independent directors are: Mr. Bidzos, Mr. Chenevich, Ms. Cote, Mr. Kriens, Mr. Roach, Mr. Simpson, and Mr. Tomlinson. Each director who serves on the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee is an independent director. The Board is currently reviewing Mr. Bidzos’s independent director status following his election as “representative director” of one of our majority-owned subsidiaries, VeriSign Japan K.K. on March 21, 2008. Mr. Bidzos will not be compensated in this interim role, though he may perform executive functions while he assists the Company in transitioning to new management. Edward A. Mueller served as Chairman of the Board until his resignation on August 15, 2007. Stratton D. Sclavos served as a director until his resignation on May 27, 2007. Michelle Guthrie served as a director until her resignation on February 20, 2008.

Independence of Directors

As required under The NASDAQ Stock Market’s listing standards, a majority of the members of our Board must qualify as “independent,” as affirmatively determined by the Board. The Board consults with our legal counsel to ensure that the Board’s determinations are consistent with all relevant securities and other laws and regulations regarding the definition of “independent,” including those set forth in pertinent listing standards of NASDAQ.

Consistent with these considerations, after review of all relevant transactions and relationships between each director, or any of his or her family members, and VeriSign, our executive officers and our independent registered public accounting firm, the Board has affirmatively determined that the majority of our Board is comprised of independent directors. Our independent directors are: Mr. Bidzos, Mr. Chenevich, Ms. Cote, Mr. Kriens, Mr. Roach, Mr. Simpson, and Mr. Tomlinson. Each director who serves on the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is an independent director.

Information with respect to this item may be found in the definitive Proxy Statement for the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and is incorporated herein by reference. The definitive Proxy Statement will be filed with the Commission within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

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