Monday, June 10, 2013

SSL certificates and the best medicine for website security

It's no accident that cybersecurity borrows the term 'virus' from health care. Malware, trojans, botnets and other cyberthreats invade computer organisms, using their hosts to replicate and intensify. Medical professionals are working constantly to develop ways to treat infections and prevent maladies before they start. Likewise, cybersecurity and IT pros need to practice strong protective measures to stymie threats and take proactive treatment initiatives to send viruses into remission. Deloitte & Touche principals Kelly Bissell and Kieran Norton recently prescribed a new approach to network security in the age of complex technology for the Wall Street Journal.
"Cyber intelligence of tomorrow should operate more like the human immune system," they wrote.
As opposed to spending time and energy immediately after a computer security breach locating the root cause of a virus in an attempt to stop it, Bissell and Norton stated, companies should take a more immediate focus on sequestering the threat and cutting off its ability to grow. In this way, cybersecurity would function like the body's white blood cells, which recognize that no matter what the origins of the attack, stopping its spread is the first priority. After it is under control, measures can be taken to find the root cause and assess any possible lasting damage.
"Detected incidents could be quarantined, allowing the threat to be understood and traced," wrote Bissell and Norton. "This may allow teams to apply cyber forensics in a controlled environment where business risk has already been contained."
How are web server certificates like vaccinations?
It's important to remember that preventative tactics like digital encryption can be better defenses against viruses than overt and belligerent ones. Computerworld recently noted that preemptive attacks against hackers or attempts to avenge a threat are poor security tactics because they can have unintended consequences. James Lewis, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, strongly cautioned private sector enterprises from becoming combative.

This is a remarkably bad idea." said Lewis, according to Computerworld. "It would harm the national interest."
So what is a private company to do? Measures like web server SSL certificates can act as inoculating agents, protecting companies from threats because they are configured with comprehensive security for businesses and users in mind. These certificates acknowledge that viruses are a prevalent threat, and show users that a company is committed to eradicating potential security epidemics. 
Protect your data in transit with an SSL certificate today.

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