WISeKey Renews WebTrust Compliance for OISTE/WISeKey Global Root of Trust

Geneva and Zug, Switzerland – August 6, 2024 – WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity and IoT company operating as a holding company, today announced the renewal of the WebTrust seal of assurance by meeting all audit requirements for its OISTE/WISeKey Trust Model and certification services.

The WebTrust for Certification Authorities program, initially developed to boost consumer confidence in ecommerce and PKI technology, is now managed by Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada. By renewing this compliance, WISeKey reinforces consumer confidence in the integrity and reliability of its digital identity and cybersecurity solutions, demonstrating adherence to rigorous industry standards.

WISeKey has fulfilled all stipulations across four essential areas:

• WebTrust for Certification Authorities: This validates WISeKey's stringent controls in the issuance and management of digital certificates.
• WebTrust for Baseline Requirements: WISeKey demonstrated robust controls conforming to the CA/B Forum’s “Baseline Requirements for the Issuance and Management of Publicly Trusted Certificates.”
• WebTrust for Extended Validation: WISeKey satisfied all regulations against the CA/B Forum’s “Guidelines for the Issuance and Management of EV Certificates,” ensuring only suitably accredited CAs issue EV SSL.
• WebTrust for S-MIME: New for 2024, WISeKey also ensures compliance in its certification services for Secure E-Mail.

WISeKey Trust Services are delivered via advanced certificate management platforms that leverage automation (via ACME and API) and crypto-agility, enabling customers to reduce operational costs and risks through efficient certificate rollover in case of expiration or revocation.

The new set of Root Certification Authorities (Root CAs), also covered by these audits, will form the foundation of a new suite of post-quantum trust services. WISeKey is heavily investing in these through its SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES) affiliate, proposing quantum-resistant solutions that combine all required software and hardware components.

Carlos Moreira, Founder and CEO of WISeKey, commented, “The renewal of our WebTrust assurance demonstrates the reliability of WISeKey’s Trust Services, bringing the highest security and compliance levels to our customers.”

In addition to WebTrust, WISeKey maintains additional independent audits and accreditations pertinent to various jurisdictions and industries of its multinational clients. This includes key recognition for relevant IoT standards, such as accreditation for Matter, the new home automation and IoT standard endorsed by the CSA and major players like Google, Apple, and Amazon. WISeKey is also recognized as a trusted root for the Wi-Sun Alliance and GSMA.

Importance of WebTrust Roots

WebTrust Roots, specifically Root CA, play a pivotal role in the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) ecosystem. They are the top-level entities in the PKI hierarchy, issuing and verifying the digital certificates for lower-level Certification Authorities (CAs). The integrity and security of the Root CA are paramount because if a Root CA is compromised, the entire chain of trust for certificates it has issued is at risk.

Digital certificates issued by CAs are used to authenticate the identity of entities (such as websites, individuals, and devices) and to encrypt communications, ensuring data transmitted over the internet is secure and trusted. For higher security needs, EV certificates provide additional assurance about the legitimacy of the entity behind a website, requiring stringent verification processes. Trusted Root CAs like WISeKey’s OISTE/WISeKey Root enhance the credibility and acceptance of these certificates.

Many industries and governments require the use of digital certificates issued by trusted Root CAs for regulatory compliance. WISeKey’s WebTrust compliance means that its Root CAs meet these stringent regulatory standards, facilitating its customers’ compliance efforts. Furthermore, trusted Root CAs are embedded in major browsers and operating systems, ensuring universal acceptance and trust by a wide range of applications and platforms.

For more information, please visithttp://www.wisekey.com.

About WISeKey:
WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the WISe.ART marketplace for secure NFT transactions, and (v) it is in process of establishing SEALCOIN AG to focus on decentralized physical internet with DePIN technology and house the development of the SEALCOIN platform.

Each subsidiary contributes to WISeKey’s mission of securing the internet while focusing on their respective areas of research and expertise. Their technologies seamlessly integrate into the comprehensive WISeKey platform. WISeKey secures digital identity ecosystems for individuals and objects using Blockchain, AI, and IoT technologies. With over 1.6 billion microchips deployed across various IoT sectors, WISeKey plays a vital role in securing the Internet of Everything. The company’s semiconductors generate valuable Big Data that, when analyzed with AI, enable predictive equipment failure prevention. Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey cryptographic Root of Trust, WISeKey provides secure authentication and identification for IoT, Blockchain, and AI applications. The WISeKey Root of Trust ensures the integrity of online transactions between objects and people.

For more information on WISeKey’s strategic direction and its subsidiary companies, please visit www.wisekey.com.

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