VeriSign Inc and America Online Inc are testing a secure version of AOL's instant messaging service to sell into enterprises, it emerged during VeriSign's analysts day on Thursday last week.

According to reports from the meeting, the service will be called Enterprise AIM, and will evidently run over the internet via AOL's Instant Messenger servers. VeriSign will issue the digital certificates used to identify users and encrypt data. The service will go into beta testing before the end of the month.

The move would mark the first time AOL has offered an IM service targeted at enterprises. Although AIM is extremely widely deployed in corporations, it lacks the features, such as logging and archiving, and security of a true enterprise application.

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