Symantec's current deal with Mozilla/ Google implies that they need a third party to actually do most of the technical work while they build new capabilities not tainted by previous problems. So that means Symantec executives having discussions with other CAs that could easily _look_ like they're thinking of selling the business even if they aren't, they'd be talking about sales volumes, sharing financial data, which operational people could be transferred and who needs to stay where they are... all stuff that _looks_ like a sale but would be necessary for Symantec to obey the plan they've shown Google.
Also sale of the CA business with the current shadow over it would be problematic, the major trust stores have reacted to the StartCom/ WoSign fiasco by instituting more rules about transfer, which came up for Google recently because they bought a CA. If an existing CA buys the Symantec (Verisign/ Thawte/ GlobalSign branding) business, they also buy Symantec's problems with the trust stores. If a _new_ CA buys the business there will be arguments from a lot of quarters that they're unqualified and forget Symantec's problems the whole thing needs to go away immediately. It's like buying a burning tyre fire, where's the upside ?
I see it as buying the customer stock with the opportunity of a "fresh start". Rebrand, ensure the that the new organization follows compliance.
They have consumer and corporate anti-virus, Endpoint Protection, and they now own Blue Coat and Lifelock.
EDIT: I have no idea if LE's impact is of a "rising tide raises all boats" kind or a purely disruptive kind.
Symantec's problems are that they fucked up too much and have slipped past the "too big to fail" boundary.
It's just that those solutions require actual work and capable customer support, and I don't think that's a business Symantec wants to be in.
Still I would hope that their certificate business is taken over by someone serious about SSL/TLS/certificates. I would have for Let's Encrypt to become a monopoly.
