These days, most of us have become at least reasonably internet-savvy. We know that some websites can carry Malware, and we definitely know that entering our credit card information on an unsafe website can spell trouble. So it’s always better to look for the signs of an encrypted website, like “https” or the lock symbol in your address bar, which indicate safer surfing. But it’s still a good idea to view those websites as “better”, yet not perfect.
It’s never a good idea to let yourself believe in a false sense of security. Even with all of the protection of encryption, hackers have begun to devise ways to get around that roadblock. They’re savvy, and tend to view safety protocol as a challenge.
So, how are hackers getting around encryption? One method is that they simply hijack the entire website, and then can view any information entered on the site. They’re holding the keys to everything, including the website’s encryption.
Another method involves building their own website, and then going to the trouble of adding encryption. Security certificates are issued by certain authority companies that lack the ability to penalize fraudulent websites in the sense of a criminal punishment. Once one of their sites is found to be fraudulent, they will revoke the “https” certificate. But they can’t unpublish the website, remove content from it, or impose any sort of penalty. So cyber criminals just operate these sites until they get caught, and then move along to create a new one.
And finally, con artists have become adept at building websites that look just like the real deal, encryption and all. That’s why you shouldn’t click links in emails that direct you to log into your bank account or any other online portal. Open up a new window and navigate to the web address that you know to be genuine.
Share these tips with your employees, and you can cut down on the risk of Malware, stolen data, or compromised account passwords. But we still need to establish a secure perimeter for your company’s network. Call us at 888-RING-MY-TECH. We’ll evaluate the current strength of your safety protocol, and make recommendations if you need an upgrade.
