SAN FRANCISCO and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug 12, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via Comtex/ -- In honor of the 10th anniversary of the first e-commerce transaction, CNET Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNET) and VeriSign, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRSN), announced they will lead an industry-wide celebration of ten years of e-commerce on October 14, 2004. The celebration will feature a panel discussion among top executives from companies that helped foster the exponential growth of e-commerce over the past decade.

"Ten years ago, the first transaction occurred over what was a fledgling new medium," said Shelby Bonnie, CEO of CNET Networks. "And while the progress the industry has made in the ensuing years is extraordinary, there is still much more to come as e-commerce develops into a major underpinning of the global economy."

The panel, to be moderated by Dan Farber, vice president of editorial, ZDNet, will discuss how the past ten years of e-commerce have revolutionized the business world and changed the way consumers and enterprises interact. Panelists will draw upon their extensive e-commerce experience to predict what the future holds for the Internet, and address challenges such as phishing, fraud and cybersecurity.

"VeriSign and CNET Networks are bringing together the technology community to celebrate what has become an essential element of commerce and communication: The Internet," said Stratton Sclavos, CEO, VeriSign. "As the company that helped secure some of the first online transactions, VeriSign can fully appreciate how far the industry has come in the past 10 years, and we look forward to joining with others in the industry to discuss the challenges we will all face in the coming decades."

The full line-up of panelists, which will include, among others, Shelby Bonnie, chairman and CEO, CNET Networks and Stratton Sclavos, CEO, VeriSign, will be announced at a later date.

About CNET Networks, Inc.

CNET Networks, Inc. (www.cnetnetworks.com) is a premier global interactive content company that informs, entertains, and connects large, engaged audiences around topics of high information need and personal passion. The company focuses on three categories -- personal technology, games and entertainment, and business technology -- and includes such leading brands as CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, MP3.com, GameSpot, CNET Download.com, CNET News.com, Computer Shopper magazine, and CNET Channel. With a strong presence in the US, Asia and Europe, CNET Networks has operations in 12 countries.

About VeriSign

VeriSign, Inc. delivers intelligent infrastructure services that make the Internet and telecommunications networks more reliable and secure. Every day VeriSign helps thousands of businesses and millions of consumers conduct commerce and communications with confidence. Additional news and information about the company is available at http://www.verisign.com/ .

SOURCE VeriSign, Inc. and CNET Networks, Inc.

Brendan P. Lewis, +1-650-426-4470, or brlewis@verisign.com, or
Kathleen Bare, +1-650-426-3241, or kbare@verisign.com, both of VeriSign, Inc.;
or Sarah Winterhalder, +1-415-344-2218, or sarah.winterhalder@cnet.com, or
Cammeron McLaughlin, +1-415-344-2844, or Cammeron.mclaughlin@cnet.com, both of
CNET Networks, Inc.

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