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Twitter mandates SSL move for all apps
Twitter is cracking down on the third-party applications that link to it by mandating that they adhere to more stringent security standards. Moving forward, Twitter is requiring that all communication with its Application Programming Interface be done through SSL, according to PCWorld. Additionally, all apps that still use HTTP connections are being required to switch to SSL protocol or face losing their apps' functionality on Twitter.
A month in the making
Though Twitter made the announcement about the change in a blog post in December, the new policy went into effect on January 14. Twitter released a tweet on January 13 reminding app developersof the change. What the shift means is that all data moving between the apps and Twitter's server will be encrypted. In the December blog post, a Twitter developer said user security was the primary impetus behind the mandate.
"Connecting to the API using the SSL protocol builds a safe communication channel between our servers and your application," the developer blogged, "meaning that no sensitive data can be accessed or tampered by unauthorized agents in the middle of this communication path."
The SSL protocol works to ensure safe communication by encrypting data as it's traveling between two parties so that it's not susceptible to interception.
Twitter's total shift to SSL protocol comes on the heels of a series of security breaches at high-profile companies. These breaches have brought to light the threat posed by data thieves, according to NPR. These thieves are often highly organized and methodical, tracking a company for months before attacking its security system.
Twitter is not the first social media company to make a significant shift toward SSL. Facebook and Google did the same thing back in 2011, PCWorld reported.
Protect data in transit with an SSL certificate today.
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