On June 12th, 2007, the CA/Browser Forum ratified the first version of the Extended Validation (EV) SSL Guidelines. The goal of the guidelines is to introduce a new type of certificate, Extended Validation Certificate, with intent to standardise the certificate issuance process.

Those of you that remember the early days of SSL certificates will find that the "new" process is pretty much identical to the one we had to undergo years ago. Things such as verifying legal existence, identity, registration number, right to use the domain name--are all there. There is one crucial difference, though. This time the process is mandatory whereas before, it turns out, it was merely a matter of choice. No wonder the quality of the vetting had deteriorated over the years as companies fought for the market by lowering prices.

At the Web Security blog.

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