content: <PAGE>
  
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C. 20549
  
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
                          Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                      of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
  
          Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 6, 2000
  
  
                                  VERISIGN, INC.
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
                                     Delaware
              ------------------------------------------------------
                  (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
  
  
           0-23593                                               94-3221585
      ------------------                                   ----------------------
         (Commission                                         (IRS Employer
         File Number)                                        Identification No.)
  
  
          1350 CHARLESTON ROAD, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA                     94043-1331
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)
  
  
                                  (650) 961-7500
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  <PAGE>
  
  Item 5:  Other Events.
  
           On March 6, 2000, VeriSign, Inc. ("VeriSign"), Network Solutions, Inc.
  ("NSI") and Nickel Acquisition Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
  VeriSign ("Merger Sub") entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the
  "Merger Agreement"). Subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger
  Agreement, Merger Sub will merge with and into NSI, with NSI to survive the
  Merger and to become a wholly-owned subsidiary of VeriSign (the "Merger"). Each
  outstanding share of NSI common stock will be exchanged for 2.15 shares of
  VeriSign common stock, and options to purchase NSI capital stock will be
  exchanged for options to purchase shares of VeriSign common stock according to
  the exchange ratio. Upon completion of the proposed 2-for-1 stock split of NSI's
  common stock on March 10, 2000, the exchange ratio will be 1.075 shares of
  VeriSign for each outstanding share of NSI common stock.
  
           The transaction will be structured to qualify as a tax-free
  reorganization and will be accounted for as a purchase. In addition, VeriSign
  will take all action necessary to appoint an additional three members to its
  board of directors, with such new members to be mutally agreed upon between the
  boards of directors of VeriSign and NSI.
  
           In connection with the execution of the Merger Agreement, VeriSign and
  SAIC Venture Capital Corporation ("SAIC") entered into a Voting Agreement (the
  "Voting Agreement"), pursuant to which SAIC agreed to vote the 8,150,000 shares
  of NSI common stock held by it, constituting approximately 23% of NSI's
  outstanding common stock, in favor of the Merger and against any proposal made
  in opposition to or in competition with the Merger. SAIC granted VeriSign's
  board of directors an irrevocable proxy to vote SAIC's shares in favor of the
  Merger and against any proposal made in opposition to or in competition with the
  Merger. SAIC also agreed not to transfer its shares of NSI common stock prior to
  the consummation of the Merger.
  
           Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement entered into between
  VeriSign and SAIC (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), SAIC will also be
  granted certain registration rights with respect to the shares of VeriSign
  common stock that it will receive in the Merger. SAIC will be entitled to, on up
  to three occasions, require VeriSign to register the shares of VeriSign common
  stock it receives in the Merger and will also be entitled to "piggyback"
  registration rights.
  
           Each of the Merger Agreement, Voting Agreement and Registration Rights
  Agreement are filed as exhibits to this report. The foregoing description is
  qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of such exhibits.
  
           A press release announcing the transaction is attached as an exhibit to
  this report. The Merger is subject to several conditions, including approval by
  both companies' stockholders, the expiration of applicable waiting periods under
  antitrust laws and obtaining necessary consents.
  
                                         2
  <PAGE>
  
                                    SIGNATURES
  
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                       VERISIGN, INC.
  
  
  
  Date: March 8, 2000          By: /s/ DANA L. EVAN
                                   -----------------------------------------------
                                       Dana L. Evan
                                       Executive Vice President of Finance and
                                       Administration and Chief Financial Officer
  
                                         3
  <PAGE>
  
                                   Exhibit Index
  
  
  2.1    Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of March 6, 2000 among VeriSign,
         Inc., Network Solutions, Inc. and Nickel Acquisition Corporation.
  
  9.1    Voting Agreement dated as of March 6, 2000, between VeriSign and SAIC
         Venture Capital Corporation, together with Irrevocable Proxy.
  
  99.1   Registration Rights Agreement dated as of March 6, 2000, between VeriSign
         and SAIC Venture Capital Corporation.
  
  99.2   Press Release dated March 7, 2000.
  
                                         4
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text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
                          Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                      of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
          Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 6, 2000
  
                                  VERISIGN, INC.
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
  
                                     Delaware
              ------------------------------------------------------
                  (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
           0-23593                                               94-3221585
      ------------------                                   ----------------------
         (Commission                                         (IRS Employer
         File Number)                                        Identification No.)
  
          1350 CHARLESTON ROAD, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA                     94043-1331
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)
  
                                  (650) 961-7500
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  Item 5:  Other Events.
  
           On March 6, 2000, VeriSign, Inc. ("VeriSign"), Network Solutions, Inc.
  ("NSI") and Nickel Acquisition Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
  VeriSign ("Merger Sub") entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the
  "Merger Agreement"). Subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger
  Agreement, Merger Sub will merge with and into NSI, with NSI to survive the
  Merger and to become a wholly-owned subsidiary of VeriSign (the "Merger"). Each
  outstanding share of NSI common stock will be exchanged for 2.15 shares of
  VeriSign common stock, and options to purchase NSI capital stock will be
  exchanged for options to purchase shares of VeriSign common stock according to
  the exchange ratio. Upon completion of the proposed 2-for-1 stock split of NSI's
  common stock on March 10, 2000, the exchange ratio will be 1.075 shares of
  VeriSign for each outstanding share of NSI common stock.
  
           The transaction will be structured to qualify as a tax-free
  reorganization and will be accounted for as a purchase. In addition, VeriSign
  will take all action necessary to appoint an additional three members to its
  board of directors, with such new members to be mutally agreed upon between the
  boards of directors of VeriSign and NSI.
  
           In connection with the execution of the Merger Agreement, VeriSign and
  SAIC Venture Capital Corporation ("SAIC") entered into a Voting Agreement (the
  "Voting Agreement"), pursuant to which SAIC agreed to vote the 8,150,000 shares
  of NSI common stock held by it, constituting approximately 23% of NSI's
  outstanding common stock, in favor of the Merger and against any proposal made
  in opposition to or in competition with the Merger. SAIC granted VeriSign's
  board of directors an irrevocable proxy to vote SAIC's shares in favor of the
  Merger and against any proposal made in opposition to or in competition with the
  Merger. SAIC also agreed not to transfer its shares of NSI common stock prior to
  the consummation of the Merger.
  
           Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement entered into between
  VeriSign and SAIC (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), SAIC will also be
  granted certain registration rights with respect to the shares of VeriSign
  common stock that it will receive in the Merger. SAIC will be entitled to, on up
  to three occasions, require VeriSign to register the shares of VeriSign common
  stock it receives in the Merger and will also be entitled to "piggyback"
  registration rights.
  
           Each of the Merger Agreement, Voting Agreement and Registration Rights
  Agreement are filed as exhibits to this report. The foregoing description is
  qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of such exhibits.
  
           A press release announcing the transaction is attached as an exhibit to
  this report. The Merger is subject to several conditions, including approval by
  both companies' stockholders, the expiration of applicable waiting periods under
  antitrust laws and obtaining necessary consents.
  
                                         2
  SIGNATURES
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
                                       VERISIGN, INC.
  
  Date: March 8, 2000          By: /s/ DANA L. EVAN
                                   -----------------------------------------------
                                       Dana L. Evan
                                       Executive Vice President of Finance and
                                       Administration and Chief Financial Officer
  
                                         3
  Exhibit Index
  
  2.1    Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of March 6, 2000 among VeriSign,
         Inc., Network Solutions, Inc. and Nickel Acquisition Corporation.
  
  9.1    Voting Agreement dated as of March 6, 2000, between VeriSign and SAIC
         Venture Capital Corporation, together with Irrevocable Proxy.
  
  99.1   Registration Rights Agreement dated as of March 6, 2000, between VeriSign
         and SAIC Venture Capital Corporation.
  
  99.2   Press Release dated March 7, 2000.
  
                                         4