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Can organizations trust their encryption provider?
The silver lining to any data breach is the increased awareness surrounding cybersecurity following such an incident. For many consumers and business users, cybersecurity holds an "out of sight, out of mind" place in their thoughts. When a major breach makes headlines, those who typically ignore the need for better solutions perk up and take notice. It's important that organizations take advantage of that momentum and ramp up their dedication to high-quality data security processes. One of the most effective steps companies can take after hearing about a major breach in their industry or any other is to evaluate their partnerships with cybersecurity vendors.
Business leaders need to treat news regarding a data breach as an opportunity to get serious about their own solutions. According to a recent survey released by CardRatings.com, many individuals fail to make any noteworthy changes in their behavior after hearing about a breach that may affect them. Almost half of the participants stated that they did not check either recent credit card transactions or bank account activity to see if their own assets had been compromised. Although the survey only included consumers, its results are indicative of a broader mindset that chooses to ignore the dangers of cybersecurity even when faced with evidence that crucial resources are at risk.
Verify the quality of solution providers
One company's cybersecurity nightmare is another's window to identify vulnerabilities and make the appropriate changes. This is particularly true regarding encryption. The technology is held in such high regard that enterprise leaders may believe that all tools are created equal. As recent events have shown, however, this couldn't be further from the truth. Many organizations had entrusted the security of their in-transit data to OpenSSL software when news broke regarding a critical vulnerability in its code. Cybersecurity experts have made hay about the need for better quality assurance processes to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. Perhaps a more accurate takeaway would be for business leaders to really consider which vendors are supplying their cybersecurity solutions.
OpenSSL is an open source tool, dependent on a community of developers to maintain it and make the appropriate updates when new threats emerge. According to The Wall Street Journal, the group that ultimately oversaw the software's management operated on a skeleton crew. Membership in the OpenSSL Software Foundation previously stood at a mere 14 individuals. Since word got out about the harmful Heartbleed bug, the organization has added two more employees to their ranks. That lack of manpower could leave enterprise leaders a little concerned about the amount of attention their encryption tools are receiving.
A cybersecurity solution as vital as SSL technology requires a service provider with the expertise, resources and proven track record of excellence to ensure that important assets are properly protected. SSL certificates offer an effective way to safeguard in-transit data, including payment transactions and internal communications. Given the crucial and sensitive nature of these types of transmissions, businesses need to obtain their SSL assets from a trustworthy source. The last thing they need is another Heartbleed rearing its head.
Encrypt sensitive transmissions with high-quality SSL certificates.
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