{{Short description|American digital security company}} {{For|the consumer electrical trust in Auckland, New Zealand|Entrust (community trust)}} {{AI-generated|date=April 2026|reason=This late 2025 rewrite, one of many by user, note WP:AISIGNS - promotional tone, vocab distro typical of 2025 LLM output, edit summary}} {{Infobox company | name = Entrust Corporation | logo = Entrust Corporation logo.png | former_name = Entrust Datacard | type = Private | foundation = {{Start date|1969}} | location = Shakopee, Minnesota, U.S. | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = Tony Ball (CEO) | industry = Information security; Identity and access management (IAM); Public key infrastructure; Digital identity; Cryptography | num_employees = {{Wikidata employees}} | num_employees_year = {{Wikidata employees|year}} | homepage = {{URL|https://www.entrust.com/}} }} '''Entrust Corporation''' is an American digital security company headquartered in Shakopee, Minnesota. The company develops hardware and software for card and ID issuance, identity verification, authentication, certificate and key lifecycle management, and post-quantum cryptography. The business traces its roots to Datacard Corporation (founded in 1969) and Entrust Inc. (founded in 1994). Datacard acquired Entrust in 2013, and the combined company rebranded as Entrust in 2020.
Entrust operated a publicly trusted certificate authority until selling its public certificate business to Sectigo in January 2025. Notable acquisitions include nCipher (2019), HyTrust (2021), WorldReach (2021), and Onfido (2024). In July 2025, Entrust named Tony Ball as incoming chief executive officer (CEO) to succeed Todd Wilkinson, effective March 31, 2026.
thumb|right|Entrust Sigma DS2 printer at 8th Print and Pack Tech Expo, Bangalore (2025)
== History ==
=== Datacard Corporation (1969-2013) === Datacard Corporation was founded in 1969 by Willis K. Drake, an early Minnesota computer-industry executive and co-founder of Control Data Corporation. Early operations focused on systems that enabled banks and retailers to produce plastic payment cards more quickly, later expanding to secure the personalization of ID and passports. It was publicly traded before being acquired in 1987 by the family investment office of Germany’s Quandt family, which retains long-term ownership.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Kennedy |first=Patrick |date=2020-09-14 |title=Shakopee-based Entrust rebrands to emphasize its growing data security business |url=https://www.startribune.com/shakopee-based-entrust-rebrands-to-emphasize-its-growing-data-security-business/572406132 |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=www.startribune.com |language=en}}</ref>
In April 2000, Datacard acquired Platform Seven (P7), a smart‑card technology unit created by National Westminster Bank (NatWest).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-03-14 |title=Datacard Group acquires Platform Seven |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2000/03/13/daily14.html |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1999-05-05 |title=NatWest Moves into Smartcards |url=https://www.techmonitor.ai/technology/natwest_moves_into_smartcards |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Tech Monitor |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2013, Datacard agreed to acquire Entrust Inc. from Thoma Bravo. The combined company later adopted the name Entrust Datacard (2014).<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Wursthorn |first=Michael |date=2013-12-17 |title=Thoma Bravo Sells Entrust to DataCard |url=http://www.wsj.com/articles/DJFLBO0020131217e9chmpyk9 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":02" />
=== Entrust Technologies Inc. (1994-2013) === Entrust’s public key infrastructure (PKI) software was first released in January 1994 within Northern Telecom’s (Nortel) “Secure Networks” group, which Nortel created to develop and sell PKI products.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=1999-03-30 |title=Form 10-K |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1031283/0000930661-99-000635.txt |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission}}</ref>
In December 1996, Nortel spun off its Secure Networks group as a separate company, Entrust Technologies Inc., to continue to develop and sell PKI software while retaining a majority stake in the new firm.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Jennifer |date=1998-08-17 |title=Trusting Entrust |url=https://www.wired.com/1998/08/trusting-entrust/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=Wired |language=en-US}}</ref>
In late 1999, InfoWorld reviewed version 5.0 of the Entrust PKI. The review compared management experience, cost, and features with competitive offerings, and noted that its certificates would work through 2003 via a recent co-signing partnership with Thawte.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Borck |first=James R. |date=1999-12-27 |title=Entrust/PKI secures e-business |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6k4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA37&dq=thawte+%22entrust%22+partnership&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjC_9S-lMqQAxVLM9AFHVZcICcQuwV6BAgGEAc#v=onepage&q=thawte%20%22entrust%22%20partnership&f=false |journal=InfoWorld |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. |volume=21 |issue=52/01 |pages=37-39 |issn=0199-6649 |via=Google Books}}</ref>
In April 2000, Entrust agreed to acquire enCommerce, an authentication and authorization software vendor, in a stock transaction reported at roughly $470–$586 million by contemporary business press.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2000-04-18 |title=Entrust to Acquire enCommerce In Deal Valued at $586 Million |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB956091675162528353 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cox |first=Beth |date=2000-04-20 |title=Entrust Acquires enCommerce in $470 Million Deal |url=https://www.internetnews.com/small-business/entrust-acquires-encommerce-in-470-million-deal/ |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Internet News |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2004, Entrust acquired content‑scanning and compliance technology from Ottawa‑based AmikaNow!.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ilett |first=Dan |date=2004-05-20 |title=Entrust buys AmikaNow! |url=https://www.scworld.com/news/entrust-buys-amikanow |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=SC Media |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Welsh |first=William |date=2004-05-19 |title=Entrust to acquire content scanning capabilities |url=https://www.washingtontechnology.com/2004/05/entrust-to-acquire-content-scanning-capabilities/347241/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Washington Technology |language=en}}</ref>
Entrust purchased Orion Security Solutions, a PKI services provider, in June 2006 (reported price: $8 million).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Welsh |first=William |date=2006-06-15 |title=Entrust buys Orion Security Solutions |url=https://www.washingtontechnology.com/2006/06/entrust-buys-orion-security-solutions/349673/ |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Washington Technology |language=en}}</ref> The following month, it acquired Business Signatures Corporation, a California‑based fraud‑detection software firm, for $50 million in cash, as covered by industry press.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Messmer |first=Ellen |date=2006-07-24 |title=Entrust acquires Business Signatures for $50 million |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/841323/lan-wan-entrust-acquires-business-signatures-for-50-million.html |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Network World |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Entrust acquiring Business Signatures |url=https://www.infoworld.com/article/2169518/entrust-acquiring-business-signatures.html |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=InfoWorld |language=en-US}}</ref>
Entrust agreed in April 2009 to be taken private by Thoma Bravo, and the deal closed in July 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wakeman |first=Nick |date=2009-04-13 |title=Entrust finds its suitor in Thoma Bravo |url=https://www.washingtontechnology.com/2009/04/entrust-finds-its-suitor-in-thoma-bravo/323934/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Washington Technology |language=en}}</ref>
=== Entrust Datacard (2013-2019) === Datacard Group acquired Entrust in 2013; the combined company rebranded as Entrust Datacard in 2014.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":02" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Zack |date=2014-11-18 |title=Entrust Datacard reveals new brand, partnerships and products |url=https://www.secureidnews.com/news-item/entrust-datacard-reveals-new-brand-partnerships-and-products/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=SecureIDNews |language=en-US}}</ref>
In February 2019, Entrust Datacard agreed to acquire Thales’s general‑purpose hardware security module (HSM) business, nCipher Security; the divestiture was required by the European Commission as a condition of approving Thales’s acquisition of Gemalto.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Townsend |first=Kevin |date=2019-02-22 |title=Entrust to Acquire Hardware Security Module Maker nCipher |url=https://www.securityweek.com/entrust-acquire-hardware-security-module-maker-ncipher/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=SecurityWeek |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-10 |title=Mergers: Commission approves acquisition of Gemalto by Thales, subject to conditions |url=https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/https:////ec.europa.eu//commission//presscorner//detail//en//ip_18_6769 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=European Commission}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=DePass |first=Dee |date=2019-06-11 |title=Entrust Datacard in Shakopee buys 300-employee hardware security business |url=https://www.startribune.com/entrust-datacard-in-shakopee-buys-300-employee-hardware-security-business/511089922 |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=The Minnesota Star Tribune |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Corfield |first=Gareth |date=2019-02-22 |title=Entrust Datacard lined up to unburden Thales of nCipher biz as price for Gemalto buyout |url=https://www.theregister.com/2019/02/22/thales_sells_ncipher_for_gemalto_buyout/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119222901/https://www.theregister.com/2019/02/22/thales_sells_ncipher_for_gemalto_buyout/ |archive-date=2025-01-19 |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=The Register |language=en }}</ref>
=== Entrust Corporation (2020-present) === On September 14, 2020, the company rebranded from Entrust Datacard to Entrust and changed its legal entity name to Entrust Corporation.<ref name=":02" />
In April 2021, Entrust acquired Ottawa‑based WorldReach Software, which developed digital identity and travel‑document solutions for governments and border programs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sali |first=David |date=2021-04-19 |title=ID verification powerhouse Entrust acquires Ottawa-based WorldReach |url=https://obj.ca/id-verification-powerhouse-entrust-acquires-ottawa-based-worldreach/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Ottawa Business Journal |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sorrells |first=Mitra |date=2021-04-20 |title=Entrust privacy software company acquires travel specialist WorldReach |url=https://www.phocuswire.com/entrust-privacy-software-company-acquires-travel-specialist-worldreach |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=PhocusWire |language=en}}</ref>
On April 9, 2024, Entrust completed the acquisition of UK identity‑verification firm Onfido.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hornstein |first=Oscar |date=2024-04-09 |title=Entrust completes acquisition of ID verification startup Onfido |url=https://www.uktech.news/growth-strategy/exit-strategy/entrust-completes-onfido-acquisition-20240409 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=UKTN |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lunden |first=Ingrid |date=2024-02-06 |title=Entrust is buying AI-based ID verification startup Onfido, sources say for $650M |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/06/confirmed-entrust-is-buying-ai-based-id-verification-startup-onfido-sources-say-for-more-than-400m/ |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref>
On June 27, 2024, the Google Chrome Security Team and Chrome Root Program announced that Chrome would stop trusting newly issued TLS server certificates chaining to Entrust and its AffirmTrust roots. After an update to align enforcement with a major release, the change began in Chrome 131 on November 12, 2024, and applied to certificates whose earliest Signed Certificate Timestamp (SCT) was dated after November 11, 2024, 11:59:59 PM UTC; previously issued certificates were not affected by default trust changes.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Chrome Security Team |first=Chrome Root Program |date=2024-06-27 |title=Sustaining Digital Certificate Security - Entrust Certificate Distrust |url=https://security.googleblog.com/2024/06/sustaining-digital-certificate-security.html |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Google Security Blog |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Winder |first=Davey |date=2024-09-17 |title=New Google Chrome Security Change—Websites Must Act Before 11/12 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2024/09/17/new-chrome-security-rules-google-now-gives-sites-until-1112-to-comply/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=Forbes |language=en-US}}</ref>
On July 31, 2024, Ben Wilson, Mozilla’s Root Store Manager, announced that Mozilla would set a distrust-after date of November 30, 2024, for TLS certificates chaining to Entrust and AffirmTrust roots, meaning Firefox would not trust certificates issued after that date; earlier issuance would remain unaffected.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Connor |date=2024-08-01 |title=Firefox's Mozilla follows Google in losing trust in Entrust's TLS certificates |url=https://www.theregister.com/2024/08/01/mozilla_entrust/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=The Register |language=en}}</ref>
Following the sale to Sectigo in January 2025, Sectigo completed Entrust public certificate customer migration to its platform on September 29, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lynn |first=Samara |date=2025-09-29 |title=Sectigo Completes Entrust Certificate Migration Following Acquisition |url=https://www.mescomputing.com/news/security/sectigo-completes-entrust-certificate-migration-following-acquisition |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-25 |website=MES Computing}}</ref> Entrust continues to offer private and managed PKI and software.<ref name=":52" />
On January 29, 2025, Entrust sold its public certificate authority business to Sectigo.<ref name=":52">{{Cite news |last=Rundle |first=James |date=2025-01-29 |title=Exclusive {{!}} Sectigo Buys Entrust’s Public Certificate Business |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/sectigo-buys-entrusts-public-certificate-business-6e476734 |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}}</ref>
In July 2025, Entrust announced that Tony Ball would succeed Todd Wilkinson as CEO, with the transition effective March 31, 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Novinson |first=Michael |date=2025-07-23 |title=New Entrust CEO Tony Ball Aims for Identity Life Cycle Shift |url=https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/new-entrust-ceo-tony-ball-aims-for-identity-life-cycle-shift-a-29040 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Bank Info Security |language=en}}</ref>
==References== <references />
{{commons category}}
Category:Software companies based in Texas Category:Companies based in Dallas Category:Computer security software companies Category:Corporate spin-offs Category:Certificate authorities Category:2009 mergers and acquisitions Category:2013 mergers and acquisitions Category:Software companies of the United States Category:Electronics companies established in 1969 Category:Technology companies established in 1969