Accesspoint to Offer Equifax Authentication and Digital Certificate Technology to E-Businesses Nationwide

Business Wire, Oct 30, 2000

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

IRVINE, Calif. & ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 30, 2000

Turnkey Solution for Online Merchants Will Allow Private and

Secure E-Commerce Transactions While Minimizing Risk of Fraud

Accesspoint Corporation, a market leader in developing Internet-based financial transaction processing systems, and Equifax Inc., a worldwide leader in enabling and securing global commerce (NYSE:EFX), today announced an agreement to integrate Equifax's e-commerce security solutions into Accesspoint's turnkey e-commerce applications for Web based enterprises. Under the agreement, Equifax Secure, the e-commerce division of Equifax, will provide both its online authentication and payment solution, PayNet Secure(TM), and eBusinessID(TM) digital certificates giving Accesspoint merchant customers the most cost-effective solutions to minimize the risk of fraud and encrypt transactions.

Because PayNet Secure combines Equifax's patent-pending consumer authentication technology with online check authorization and management of a secure, private ID registry for all authenticated consumers, Accesspoint merchant customers can now offer consumers immediate access to a private and secure online shopping environment. The Equifax solution protects the transaction even further by encrypting the exchange of sensitive information through eBusinessID digital certificates.

"Our customers are looking for one-stop solutions to capitalize on new opportunities and advance their businesses to the Net," said Tom Djokovich, chief executive officer of Accesspoint. "Equifax's customized e-commerce solutions address the demanding security needs of our customers not only by protecting the online transaction, but also by proving the validity of the transacting party. This strategic relationship with Equifax enables us to maximize those opportunities by creating a safe, secure environment both for the business and the consumer."

PayNet Secure incorporates Equifax's authentication solution, which is the most advanced online identity verification solution available in the marketplace that authenticates users in real time. Unlike traditional methods that rely solely on wallet information such as driver's license number and address to identify users online, the Equifax authentication engine incorporated in PayNet Secure requests both financial and non-financial information that should be known only to the user. The engine compares and analyzes multiple elements in the furnished information against consumer data from Equifax and other consumer and business information. The privacy of user information is protected through each step in the authentication process in accordance with the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Through PayNet Secure, authenticated consumers are given a user name and PIN that will allow them to bypass the authentication process for subsequent transactions at any site with the PayNet Secure logo. As part of the solution, Equifax manages a private, secure registry of user names and PINs for all authenticated customers.

"Equifax's e-commerce solutions reduce the risk of online fraud by verifying the identity of visitors to an online enterprise's site," said C. Richard Crutchfield, executive vice president and group executive for Equifax Internet Solutions. "Combined with our market-leading digital certificate solutions, Accesspoint can secure each step of the online transaction, offering its customers next-generation security solutions with minimal financial investment."

eBusiness ID server certificates provide online customers with the confidence to send credit card and/or personal information to an enterprise Web server over an open network like the Internet. Branded with the "Secure Site" seal, Equifax eBusiness ID will confirm to visitors that they have reached the intended Web site while protecting exchanged data from interception or tampering using secure sockets layer (SSL) technology and 128-bit encryption.

The Equifax Secure solution will be available through Accesspoint in January of 2001. Earlier this year, Accesspoint entered into an agreement with Equifax Inc., whereby Equifax Telecommunications and Utilities Solutions will provide an integrated suite of financial services including Accesspoint's complete suite of online services to its telecommunications and utility company clients. In addition, Equifax Secure recently signed identity authentication contracts with several customers, including Microsoft Passport, Paymentech, VeriSign and CheckFree.

About Accesspoint -- Transaction Engines that Power E-Commerce

Founded in 1995, Accesspoint Corp. is a leading provider of managed Internet-based solutions for servicing the physical (in store) and virtual (Internet) sides of each business with solutions for secure payment processing, credit verification, identity verification, risk management, e-commerce and e-marketing services to thousands of merchants nationwide. The company is a mature player among an emerging new breed of service companies called Application Service Providers (ASP). By delivering software and the underlying information as a managed service to businesses, the Accesspoint ASP model provides a viable solution to solving key technology barriers facing the small to medium enterprise today.