Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Current Accounts payable and accrued liabilities Accounts receivable, net Accumulated other comprehensive income Additional paid-in capital Other, net Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Amendment Flag Total assets Total assets ASSETS Total current assets Total current assets Current assets: Total long-term assets Total long-term assets Disclosure of cash, cash equivalents and investments, including investments in marketable debt and equity securities. Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at end of period Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period Net increase in cash and cash equivalents Net increase in cash and cash equivalents Commitments and contingencies Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block] Commitments and Contingencies Common stock, par value Common stock, Authorized shares Common stock, Issued and outstanding shares Common stock-par value $.001 per share; Authorized shares: 1,000,000,000; Issued and outstanding shares: 171,746,536 excluding 140,119,856 held in treasury, at September 30, 2010; and 183,299,463, excluding 124,434,684 held in treasury, at December 31, 2009 Convertible debentures, including contingent interest derivative Cost of revenues Total costs and expenses Total costs and expenses Costs and expenses: Current Fiscal Year End Date Deferred Revenue, Current Deferred revenues Long-term deferred revenues Depreciation of property and equipment and amortization of other intangible assets Details of Certain Balance Sheet Accounts Other Balance Sheet Items Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block] Stock-Based Compensation Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Disclosure [Text Block] Discontinued Operations Document - Document and Entity Information [Abstract] Document - Document and Entity Information [Abstract] Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Fiscal Year Focus Document Period End Date Document Type Earnings Per Share, Basic Net income Basic income per share attributable to VeriSign, Inc. stockholders from: Earnings Per Share, Diluted Net income Diluted income per share attributable to VeriSign, Inc. stockholders from: Calculation of Net Income Per Share Attributable to VeriSign, Inc. Stockholders Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents Entity Central Index Key Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Entity [Domain] Entity Filer Category Entity Registrant Name Excess tax benefit associated with stock-based compensation Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Operating Activities Excess tax benefit associated with stock-based compensation Fair Value of Financial Instruments The realized gain or loss on the sale of divested businesses, included both in continuing operations as well as in discontinued operations, net of income taxes and the aggregate amount of write-downs for impairments recognized during the period for long-lived assets held for sale. Net (gain) loss on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax General and administrative Goodwill Amounts attributable to VeriSign, Inc. stockholders: Income from continuing operations, net of tax Income from continuing operations before income taxes Income from continuing operations before income taxes Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Income from continuing operations, net of tax Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Basic Share Continuing operations Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Diluted Share Continuing operations Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Income from discontinued operations, net of tax Less: Income from discontinued operations, net of tax, attributable to noncontrolling interest in subsidiary Less: Income from discontinued operations, net of tax, attributable to noncontrolling interest in subsidiary Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent Income from discontinued operations, net of tax Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Basic Share Discontinued operations Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Diluted Share Discontinued operations Income Statement [Abstract] Income Taxes Income tax expense Income tax expense Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities Accounts receivable Accounts receivable Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Revenue Deferred revenues Changes in operating assets and liabilities, excluding the effects of acquisitions and divestitures: Prepaid expenses and other assets Prepaid expenses and other assets Other intangible assets, net Cash paid for interest, net of capitalized interest Legal Entity [Axis] Total liabilities Total liabilities Total liabilities and stockholders' equity Total liabilities and stockholders' equity LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Total current liabilities Total current liabilities Current liabilities: Total long-term liabilities Total long-term liabilities Marketable securities Noncontrolling interest in subsidiary Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities Cash flows from financing activities: Net cash provided by investing activities Net cash provided by investing activities Cash flows from investing activities: Net cash provided by operating activities Net cash provided by operating activities Cash flows from operating activities: Net income attributable to VeriSign, Inc. stockholders Net income attributable to VeriSign, Inc. stockholders Nonoperating Gains (Losses) Other loss, net Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract] Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract] Operating income Operating income Basis of Presentation Other assets Other Income and Other Expense Disclosure [Text Block] Other Loss, Net Other long-term liabilities Other investing activities Other investing activities Repurchases of common stock Repurchases of common stock Purchases of marketable securities and investments Purchases of marketable securities and investments Purchases of property and equipment Purchases of property and equipment Preferred stock, par value Preferred stock, Authorized shares Preferred stock, Issued shares Preferred stock, outstanding shares Preferred stock-par value $.001 per share; Authorized shares: 5,000,000; Issued and outstanding shares: none Includes the sum of the amounts paid in advance for costs that will be expensed with the passage of time or the occurrence of a triggering event and aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of current assets not separately presented elsewhere in the balance sheet. Other current assets are expected to be realized or consumed within one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer) and includes items such as non-trade receivables. Prepaid expenses and other current assets Proceeds received from divestiture of businesses, net of cash contributed and transaction costs Proceeds from issuance of common stock from option exercises and employee stock purchase plans Other financing activities Proceeds from maturities and sales of marketable securities and investments Net income Net income Property and equipment, net Research and development Restructuring, impairment and other charges, net Accumulated deficit Revenues Restructuring Charges Subsequent Events Segment Information Sales and marketing Share-based Compensation Stock-based compensation Statement [Line Items] Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] Statement [Table] Total VeriSign, Inc. stockholders' equity Total VeriSign, Inc. stockholders' equity VeriSign, Inc. stockholders' equity: Total stockholders' equity Total stockholders' equity Stockholders' equity: Stockholders' Equity Supplemental cash flow disclosures: Trading Symbol Common stock, held in treasury Diluted Basic Shares used to compute net income per share attributable to VeriSign, Inc. stockholders: