Cyber Security, Featured, Security

Top Security Tools for eCommerce Websites

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As eCommerce websites continue to grow in popularity, so do the risks associated with online transactions. Cybersecurity threats such as hacking, phishing, and identity theft pose significant risks to both the website owners and their customers. In response to these threats, a variety of security tools have been developed to help protect eCommerce websites. Here are some of the top security tools for eCommerce websites: SSL (Secure Sockets Layer): SSL is a standard security protocol that enables encrypted communication between a web server and a browser. It provides an additional layer of security by encrypting sensitive data, such as credit card information, during transmission. SSL certificates can also help to improve a website’s search engine ranking. SiteLock: SiteLock is a cloud-based security tool that offers protection against malware, hacking, and other security threats. It scans websites for vulnerabilities and automatically removes malware, providing continuous protection for eCommerce websites. CodeGuard: CodeGuard is a backup and restore service that protects websites from data loss and corruption. It automatically backs up websites and provides easy restore options in case of data loss, hacking, or accidental deletion. TrustedSite: TrustedSite is a security certification service that verifies the security and trustworthiness of eCommerce websites. It provides a trust seal that can be displayed on the website to assure customers that the website is safe and secure. Other notable security tools for eCommerce websites include payment gateways such as PayPal, 2Checkout, and Stripe. These payment gateways offer additional layers of security, such as fraud detection and prevention, to protect both the website owner and their customers. It is important to note that no security tool can guarantee 100% protection against cybersecurity threats. However, using a combination of security tools can significantly reduce the risks associated with eCommerce transactions.

Secure Sockets Layer, SSL Certificate

The Impact of SSL on SEO

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SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates are critical for website security and have become a significant ranking factor in Google’s search algorithm. Websites with SSL certificates are more secure and provide better user experience. Google has been pushing for HTTPS encryption for years, and they’ve made it a ranking factor since 2014. In this blog post, we’ll explore the impact of SSL on SEO and how it affects website ranking. SSL certificates provide encryption for data transmitted between the website and the user. This encryption makes it difficult for hackers to steal information and improves website security. SSL also increases user trust and confidence in a website. Google favors websites that prioritize user experience and security, and SSL is an excellent way to improve both. Moreover, SSL is a ranking signal that affects search engine optimization. Google has publicly stated that SSL is a ranking factor, and websites that use HTTPS encryption are likely to rank higher than those that don’t. Google wants to ensure that users have a safe browsing experience and is rewarding websites that prioritize security. Lastly, SSL can impact on SEO by providing a better user experience. Websites that use SSL certificates load faster, have lower bounce rates, and generate more traffic. These factors are essential for SEO and can improve a website’s ranking in search results. In conclusion, SSL certificates have a significant impact on SEO. They improve website security, increase user trust, and help websites rank higher in search engine results. Websites that prioritize SSL and provide a secure browsing experience will have an advantage in SEO and user experience.

Secure Sockets Layer, SSL Certificate

The Importance of SSL Certificates for Website Security

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SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a standard security protocol that enables encrypted communication between a web server and a browser. An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a website and encrypts data transmitted to and from it. SSL certificates are essential for online security and should be installed on every website that collects user data or processes sensitive information. SSL certificates provide several benefits to website owners and users. Firstly, they protect sensitive data from interception by hackers or cybercriminals. This is especially important for websites that handle financial transactions, such as online banking or e-commerce sites. Secondly, SSL certificates increase trust and credibility with users. When visitors see the padlock icon or HTTPS in the browser address bar, they know that their connection is secure and that the website is legitimate. In addition, SSL certificates can improve search engine rankings. Google and other search engines give preference to websites with SSL certificates, as they consider them more trustworthy and secure. Furthermore, SSL certificates are mandatory for compliance with regulations such as the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard). In summary, SSL certificates are essential for website security, trust, and compliance. They provide encrypted communication, protect sensitive data, improve search engine rankings, and help website owners comply with regulations.

Featured, SSL Certificate, SSL Installation

Securing Your Code with Code Signing SSL: A Guide to Installation on Linux Apache Server

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Code Signing SSL is a digital certificate that is used to sign software code and scripts to ensure their integrity and authenticity. When a code signing certificate is installed, it adds a digital signature to the code, which verifies that it came from the original author and has not been tampered with in any way. This helps to protect users from malware and other malicious software that may be distributed under the guise of legitimate applications. In this blog post, we will walk you through the installation process of Code Signing SSL on a Linux Apache server. Step 1: Purchase a Code Signing SSL certificate The first step is to purchase a Code Signing SSL certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). There are many CAs available, such as Comodo, DigiCert, and Sectigo. When choosing a CA, make sure to select a reputable one that is recognized by popular web browsers. Step 2: Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) Once you have purchased a Code Signing SSL certificate, you will need to generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) on your Apache server. You can do this using the following command: openssl req -new -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout mykey.key -out mycsr.csr Make sure to replace mykey.key and mycsr.csr with the file names you want to use. You will then be prompted to enter information about your organization, such as its name and location. Be sure to enter accurate information as it will be used to verify your identity. Step 3: Submit your CSR to the CA Once you have generated your CSR, you will need to submit it to the CA to obtain your Code Signing SSL certificate. The process for doing this will vary depending on the CA you have chosen, but typically involves uploading your CSR to their website and completing a verification process. Step 4: Install your Code Signing SSL certificate Once you have received your Code Signing SSL certificate from the CA, you can install it on your Apache server. To do this, follow these steps: Create a directory to store your SSL certificates: mkdir /etc/ssl/certs Copy your SSL certificate to the new directory: cp your_certificate.crt /etc/ssl/certs/ Create a file to store your SSL private key: sudo nano /etc/ssl/private/your_domain.key Paste your private key into the file and save it. Configure your Apache virtual host to use SSL: <VirtualHost *:443> ServerName yourdomain.com DocumentRoot /var/www/html SSLEngine on SSLCertificateFile /etc/ssl/certs/your_certificate.crt SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/ssl/private/your_domain.key </VirtualHost> Make sure to replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name, and /var/www/html with the path to your website’s root directory. Restart Apache to apply the changes: sudo systemctl restart apache2 Congratulations! You have successfully installed your Code Signing SSL certificate on your Linux Apache server. Your code will now be signed with a digital signature, ensuring its authenticity and integrity.

Free SSL, Secure Sockets Layer, SSL Certificate

Why is it advantageous to opt for a branded SSL over a Let’s Encrypt SSL?

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The use of a branded SSL certificate provides several benefits compared to using a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate. These benefits include: Trusted and recognized brand: Branded SSL certificates are issued by trusted certificate authorities such as Comodo, DigiCert, Sectigo, GeoTrust, Thawte and RapidSSL. This gives your website a more professional and trustworthy appearance. Higher levels of security: Branded SSL certificates offer higher levels of encryption, making them more secure than Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates. Better customer support: Branded SSL certificate providers offer better customer support than Let’s Encrypt. In case of any technical issues, you can receive prompt assistance from a dedicated support team. Increased website ranking: Search engines like Google may give preference to websites with branded SSL certificates over those with Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates. Improved customer confidence: Branded SSL certificates can increase customer confidence and trust in your website, leading to higher conversion rates and better business results.   In summary, a branded SSL certificate provides a higher level of security, better customer support, improved website ranking, and increased customer confidence compared to a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate.  

Cyber Security, Featured, Other, Secure Sockets Layer, SSL Certificate

The Rise of Zero Trust: Threats Are No Longer Perimeter-Only Concerns

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The zero-trust strategy approaches security from the mindset that no one — not even your internal network users — can or should be trusted automatically. Here’s why zero trust security is picking up traction with organizations and governments globally… … It’s not paranoia when someone really is out to get you. And if you’re an organization or business, you can virtually guarantee that someone, somewhere has you in their crosshairs. Verizon reports 82% of data breaches involve the “human element” — including everything from phishing and social attacks to general errors and misuse — so, it’s clear why all organizations need to change how they approach cyber security. This is why the U.S. Department of Defense published information regarding plans to shift its network to a “zero trust architecture” by 2027. In its Zero Trust Strategy and Roadmap document, the federal defense agency shared its goals about what it aims to achieve and what its vision is for the future: implementing stronger defenses against cyber attacks via a dynamic and adaptive approach (zero trust). This move toward zero trust security has been picking up traction with businesses and other organizations globally over the past several years. It contrasts the traditional notion that cyber security efforts should focus on external threats and hardening your perimeter defenses to protect against threats outside your network. Imagine the cyber security incidents (and resulting data breaches) that could have been avoided if the targeted organizations had implemented zero trust: But what is zero trust and why is it something that can benefit organizations and businesses across all sectors (not just the DoD)? Let’s hash it out. Zero trust is an organization’s answer to the childhood warning “stranger danger!” It’s both a framework and strategy that operates with the understanding that no one — not you, your devices, your apps, or even your CEO — can (or should) be trusted automatically. And it’s nothing personal — it’s not because your IT admin doesn’t like you. This real-time security strategy approaches cyber security from the perspective that everyone inside and outside your network is a potential threat. Zero trust touches everything relating to your IT ecosystem and everything that goes on in the background. It promotes the idea that there are no traditional network boundaries; your assets and resources can be anywhere — on prem, in the cloud, or a mix of both. This makes it a versatile approach to hardening your cyber defenses. Therefore, everyone with access to your organization’s network or IT resources must have their identities continuously vetted throughout their connections. Regardless of where your assets are that you want to secure, there are three guiding principles at the heart of zero trust security: 1. Never Trust, Always Verify What we mean by this is that users need to authenticate in a verifiable name. Simply taking them at their word just won’t cut it. This entails using setting default-deny policies, setting least access privileges, and using public key infrastructure (PKI) based tools (such as client authentication certificates). Whenever someone logs in or tries to access something in a zero trust environment, they’ll need to continually authenticate (prove their identity) throughout the session. Why? Because session IDs can be hijacked and someone unintended can take over a connection. By implementing comprehensive identity and access management, you’re reducing the potential harm an account compromise could cause. Manage Digital Certificates like a Boss 14 Certificate Management Best Practices to keep your organization running, secure and fully-compliant. 2. Assume a Hostile Environment or That a Breach Has Occurred With zero trust, you assume the worst (someone bad is already in your network) but hope for the best. You’ll want to assume that every network connection and access request is from an attacker. This involves monitoring all users, devices, connections, requests, and configuration changes continuously to ensure that no one is accessing something they shouldn’t. 3. Verify Explicitly Verify that users are accessing things securely. Have security mechanisms in place to ensure they’re doing that. This includes enforcing policies dynamically via the policy engine and policy administrator (PE determines whether access is approved or denied and the PA executes that decision). And, as always, monitor and log all access requests and traffic. Image caption: This graphic represents a basic overview of the foundational concepts behind zero trust: trust nothing and no one, have security mechanisms in place for identity and device verification, and assume all traffic (both inside and outside the network) is an attack. There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Approach to Zero Trust There are different approaches to zero trust put out by different organizations and different standards as well. Probably the most commonly known zero trust framework is the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) special publication: NIST SP 800-207 — Zero Trust Architecture. This document laid the groundwork for other frameworks from agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Security Agency (NSA). These other frameworks have a lot to offer information of information and applications. (The DoD guidelines, in particular, offer more breadth and depth than the NSA’s.) And we’ll touch on key concepts from these resources throughout the article. Why Zero Trust Matters: Looking Beyond the Surface to Secure Your Digital Assets We live in a time when you can no longer take things at face value. You can’t simply assume that someone is who they claim to be simply because they type in a username and password; all it takes is a small third-party data breach for someone’s password to become known to the dark web. And if that person uses that same password to secure multiple accounts, then attackers can use it to brute force their way into their accounts. This is why it’s crucial that we look much deeper and look at other verifiable and contextual information. This approach helps us determine whether someone requesting access to sensitive resources is authentic and has the authorization to access those assets. Discussing this topic of zero trust always makes me

Other

What Is HTTPS? A 5-Minute Overview of What HTTPS Stands For

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HTTPS is the difference between transmitting sensitive information securely to your bank and allowing cybercriminals to steal that data so they can use it to commit crimes. But there are some misconceptions about what HTTPS means that we want to clear up… Every day, you use websites to make purchases and pay bills online. But how do you know whether the website you’re using is safe and secure? If you’re like most users, you look for the little padlock icon in your web address bar and think you’re using a safe website. But what if that’s only part of the equation — what if that icon doesn’t tell you the whole story? Cybercriminals love to exploit ignorance about what that little padlock security icon and HTTPS really mean. It reminds me of a scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, where some of King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table follow an icon in the sky to what they believe is the secret location of the Holy Grail. Turns out, it wasn’t really the Grail, but the young women were using it to lure Grail-seekers to their castle. In much the same way, the security icon in your browser may be lulling you or other users into a false sense of security. Those security indicators aren’t saying that the connection is safe; they’re conveying that a connection is secure. Yes, there is a difference. And understanding HTTPS will help you better understand what that difference is and why it matters. That’s why we’re here to answer questions like “what is HTTPS?” and “what does HTTPS stand for?” Let’s hash it out. What Does HTTPS Stand For? A Simple Definition and Explanation of What HTTPS Is HTTPS stands for “hypertext transfer protocol secure.” Essentially, it’s a set of rules that enable two entities (e.g., users and websites.) to exchange sensitive data online securely. This protocol enables your client (i.e., your browser) and the server it’s connecting to, to forge a secure, encrypted connection using the secure transport layer security (TLS) protocol. This is why it’s also sometimes called HTTP over TLS. HTTPS is the secure version of the traditional HTTP protocol. Without it, information would transmit in plaintext format, enabling cybercriminals to read, steal, and alter the data in transit. It’s all about using authenticated digital identity and encryption to establish secure connections. Here’s a quick visual overview of the difference between HTTP and HTTPS website connections: Image caption: A set of comparison illustrations that showcase the difference between HTTPS and HTTP connections in terms of security. What Role Does Encryption Play in HTTPS? HTTPS uses encryption to protect data (such as credit cards, passwords, etc.) from being read by unauthorized parties while it’s travelling across the internet. Encryption is the cryptographic process of taking plaintext data and scrambling it into random characters to disguise the message using cryptographic algorithms and keys. As a website owner, you use TLS connections (formerly secure sockets layer, or SSL connections) to encrypt the communication channel between users’ web clients and your server. When you use encryption, you’re preventing bad guys from gaining access to your sensitive data by scrambling it. The only way they’d be able to access the information you send is by having your decryption key. So long as you take the appropriate steps to carefully manage your keys and keep them secure using a key management solution, then you don’t have anything to worry about.   But encryption is only useful if you know who’s on the other side of the connection… Authentication Helps Ensure You’re Connecting to the Right Entity As a user, authentication is what helps ensure that you’re connecting to a legitimate website and not an imposter’s phishing site. Your browser will review the website’s SSL/TLS certificate information (i.e., website security certificate), which has been validated by a trusted third party known as a certificate authority (CA). If everything is as it should be, then your browser will continue with the process of establishing a secure connection with the server. If not, your client will terminate the connection and display an ugly “Your connection is not private” message (or another similar warning). Remember how, at the beginning of the article, I’d mentioned that safe and secure aren’t synonymous terms? This is because you can have a secure (encrypted) connection, but if you don’t know who is sitting on the other end of the connection to receive your encrypted sensitive information, then it isn’t safe. Why? Because you’re handing over your sensitive data to an unknown entity. Even if your data is sent via an encrypted connection, there could be a bad guy sitting on the other end with the secret key. Once they decrypt your sensitive data, they could sell it or use it for other nefarious purposes. This is why encryption and authentication are both used in establishing HTTPS connections. All SSL/TLS certificates authenticate the website’s domain name, but only high-assurance certificates authenticate who (e.g., what organization) is running the website (more on that in a bit). How HTTPS Works When You Connect to a Website We’ve already written at length about how HTTPS works, so we’re not going to re-hash all of that here. However, here’s a quick and basic overview of how it works: When a user connects to a secure website, their web client (browser) tries to verify the website’s digital identity. The idea here is that the user’s client will reach out to the web server. The server will respond with its SSL/TLS certificate (along with other important info), which the client will check its veracity, and then the two parties can move forward with the connection process. The user’s client connects initially via an asymmetric connection. Asymmetric encryption means two cryptographic keys are involved — one that encrypts data (public key) and one that decrypts it (private key). This enables the browser and website’s server to hash out how they want to connect and exchange key-related information. Once both parties

Cyber Security, Security

SD-WAN: How to Use It to Transform Your Digital Networks

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  Why are organizations turning to software-defined wide area networks? Explore why organizations should consider adopting an SD-WAN approach to revamp their digital networks Editor’s Note: This is a guest blog contribution from Nahla Davies, a software developer and IT/tech writer. Davies explores what a software defined wide area network is, how it’s commonly used, and how you can transition your business to using this connectivity approach. Increasing your organization’s networking capabilities, security, and bandwidth is necessary to enable corporate growth. This is particularly true for multi-site organizations that increasingly rely on cloud apps, teleconferencing, and video streaming tools. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these bandwidth concerns; outdated wide area networks (WANs) are incapable of scaling adequately to meet increasing demand, forcing organizations to look for a better solution to support their digital strategies. It has been possible for individuals and businesses of all sizes to access high-speed Internet connections and critical data thanks to software-defined wide area networks, or SD-WANs. The SD-WAN market, worth $1.4 billion in 2019, is predicted to be worth $43 billion by 2030, according to Prescient & Strategic (P&S) Intelligence research. This means a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 38% over the forecast period (2020-2030). But what is an SD-WAN and how could using one benefit your organization? Let’s hash it out. What Is a Software-Defined Wide Area Network? SD-WAN Explained SD-WAN is the abbreviation for “software-defined wide area network.” It’s a way for you to connect your devices, systems and offices globally using multiple network connection methods, alternating between connections based on whatever provides the greatest connectivity in any given moment. The idea behind this flexible approach of distributing (routing) traffic across your network is to help you save money and increase network performance. SD-WAN is a term that refers to a programmatic and automated way to manage your global enterprise’s network connectivity and circuit expenses through the use of virtual services. This software-based virtual network technology is more relevant than ever before for an increasingly remote workforce. It can assist you in providing your company’s network with reliable connectivity and significantly help tackle internet of things (IoT) security risks to ensure data privacy. Other features of the SD-WAN include connecting your onsite and offsite resources instantly. SD-WANs use software to manage the connection between remote branches, data centers, and cloud instances. Need a visual aid to understand these concepts? Check out this video: SD-WAN Versus a Traditional WAN or LAN A local area network, or LAN, is the traditional network that works within your on-premises office to allow devices locally to connect and communicate with one another in a single, limited area. This differs from a vast wide area network (WAN), which connects devices located in remote offices or branches with applications and other network resources. WANs require a multitude of routers to operate at the locations to enable the branches to communicate — each of which must be managed and have rules created for it by your IT admin. In general terms, LAN refers to the interconnected devices from within a building, while WAN refers to the interconnected devices from outside of the building. Both of these differ from an SD-WAN, which refers to routing traffic to different remote locations. SD-WAN also improves the hybrid WAN through packet management, bandwidth efficiency, dynamic path optimizations, applications monitoring and improved performance. SD also makes it a lot easier to separate networks (such as public, private, and IoT networks). Historically, this would be a challenging task because it would require different switches or subnets. But some SD-capable routers can handle this separation fairly easily and quickly. Image caption: A WAN is a traditional network that’s dependent on hardware devices. SD-WAN is software that’s used to manage the WAN instead of only physical hardware. Image caption: A LAN is a series of devices that can connect to the Internet that link together as one network from a centralized location  Popular Use Cases for SD-WAN Before implementing an SD-WAN, it is vital to identify and organize your organization’s needs and its role in developing your business strategy. The following use cases represent a set of possible uses of SD-WANs (depending on the particular environment and your specific business goals). Always make sure to ask how SD-WANs can benefit your business and customers. 1. Direct Internet Access (DIA) Integrated and cloud-based security offers better protection against Internet assaults. Dedicated internet access frees up bandwidth on the WAN while enhancing security and speeding up internet usage for branch employees and visitors. Branch employees and guests can connect locally via DIA, which reduces traffic on your WAN and improves internet speed. As a result, the branch now has a direct connection to the Internet, saving time and money. Despite being predominantly software-centric, SD-WAN still requires some sort of hardware devices to operate (i.e., SD-WAN routers). However, while traditional WAN requires quite a lot of work and time to handle network operations, SD-WAN can reduce those efforts to a minimum. In fact, several SD-WAN devices offered today on the market such as devices offered by Cisco are plug-and-play (zero-touch provisioning) and brought online without administrative intervention at the branch/remote office. 2. Branch-to-Branch Connectivity Organizations that need high-throughput, continuous connections from multiple offices have traditionally relied on multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) circuits or virtual private network (VPN) tunnels. MPLS circuits are a telecommunication routing method that transfers data from one node to another by identifying existing pathways between endpoints, while VPNs are designed to encrypt data shared over public networks. SD-WAN has emerged as a new solution for branch-to-branch connections. It can minimize the burden and cost of managing the connectivity of branch offices with MPLS. SD-WAN simplifies and accelerates the procedure, so no excess time is wasted in standard ways to set up internet breakouts from branch/remote offices is time-consuming and mistake-prone. In contrast to typical networks, SD-WAN solutions do not depend on the traditional hub-and-spoke model, which might cause performance issues. Existing ways to safeguard all

Cyber Security, Security

A Practical Guide to Software Supply Chain Security [10 Tips]

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  Whether you’re a software creator or software buyer, you’re vulnerable to software supply chain attacks. Here’s how you can protect your company and customers… What would happen if a popular software (one that’s widely used across your organization and is sourced from a reputable vendor) turned out to have malicious code in it that allowed hackers to remotely access and control your employees’ machines? Unfortunately, that’s not just a hypothetical — that’s how many real-world (and costly) cyber attacks have actually happened. Software supply chain attacks are one of the scariest types of cyber attacks because they’re carefully planned to cascade “downstream” to achieve the biggest impact possible. The idea here is that the attacker tries to compromise every person and organization using the affected software product or component. A good example of a supply chain attack is the SolarWinds hack in 2020: hackers gained access to the SolarWinds build servers and inserted malicious code into the codebase for their Orion software. This allowed the attackers to gain access into any organization that installed the Orion software. This means that organizations using the well-known, reputable software product (Orion) were unknowingly giving a sophisticated hacker group access to their systems. Thousands of organizations were compromised this way, including major U.S. federal government and NATO agencies. As such, software supply chain attacks are a growing concern for both software makers and software buyers: NCC Group reports that supply chain attacks globally increased 51% between July and December 2021. Anchore’s 2022 research shows that 62% of respondents indicate that software supply chain attacks have impacted their enterprises in the last year. It only takes one line of compromised code in one piece of software you use to impact all of your customers (and more). Knowing this, how can you protect your organization against supply chain attacks? Let’s take a look at the basics of supply chain security, then explore practical advice from eight IT and cybersecurity experts on how you can protect your organization and customers. We’ll cover important tips for both software creators and software buyers — we’ve got a little something for everybody. Let’s hash it out. Software Supply Chain Security 101 What Is the Software Supply Chain? Generally speaking, the software supply chain includes everything involved in the software development lifecycle. Practically, that means anyone and anything that could contribute or modify code that’s used in a software product, including: The software vendor who makes a software product, including their developers and systems. Creators of any third-party components or libraries included in the software (this could include individuals, organizations, and open-source communities) Distributors and other vendors who may be able to modify software before it’s delivered to customers Systems or parties involved in updating software once it’s been installed on the customers’ devices. In many cases, the supply chain for a given software product can be very extensive, because most software is built using a mixture of code developed in-house and (many different) third-party components. Some of these third-party software components are so ubiquitous that we hardly even think about them — for example, it’s estimated that there are over one trillion SQLite databases in the world because SQLite is used as a component by so many popular software products. What Is Software Supply Chain Security? It’s How You Prevent Software Supply Chain Attacks Software supply chain security is about preventing bad guys from using your software supply chain as an attack vector to carry out attacks on your customers. The true targets in software supply chain attacks are your customers; you and your software products are just pawns they can use to achieve their goals. Software supply chain security is about doing everything possible to prevent bad guys from infiltrating your network and deploying harmful code within your products that will be sent to customers. It encompasses all the policies, tools, and actions you (as a software vendor, for example) use to prevent these attacks. When there are one or more vulnerable elements in your software supply chain, then your software product and overall organization are at risk. In a broad sense, supply chain cyber security is about securing everything relating to the process of how your software is created, distributed, and supported. In particular, software supply chain security focuses on ensuring that malicious code or known security vulnerabilities cannot be added to a software product at any point. This includes ensuring that: Software developers are writing code that follows security best practices Third-party components (e.g., open-source libraries) are free of malicious code or vulnerabilities Your codebase is protected against unauthorized code insertions or modifications and you’re tracking all changes that are made (and who made them) Systems used to build/deploy software is protected against unauthorized access or injections Software is protected against modification and unauthorized additions during distribution/delivery process to customers Update processes to protect customers from receiving fake updates or legitimate updates that have malicious code injected Why Software Supply Chain Security Matters The truth of the matter is that software supply chain security issues affect everyone. Regardless of whether you’re creating software, supplying it, or buying it from others, no one likes unpleasant surprises. And that’s precisely what you get when you create or operate software with unknown vulnerabilities. But why is implementing strong software supply chain security so important? Let’s quickly go over a few key reasons: You have a professional responsibility to yourself and/or your customers. As a software creator, you have a duty to adhere to software security standards. You’re responsible for safeguarding the software products, data, and supply chain that connects you with customers. You’re regulatorily required to secure your data and systems. Building on the responsibility point — you’re also typically required to do so due to industry and regional regulations (depending on where you’re geographically based or countries you do business in globally). A couple of recent related examples can be seen in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 218 (SP-218), NIST Secure Software

Featured, Free SSL, Secure Sockets Layer, SSL Certificate

What Is Encryption? A 5-Minute Overview of Everything Encryption

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  Encryption is everywhere online; it’s the process and technologies that enable you to securely log into your email and make online purchases What types of information are you sending in emails or via website connections? What are you storing on your company servers? Inquiring minds want to know — namely, cybercriminals. Data from Orca Security shows that more than one-third (36%) of organizations don’t bother encrypting the sensitive data they store in the cloud. This includes data such as intellectual property to customers or employees’ personally identifiable information (PII). We’ve seen multiple instances of security issues this year involving unencrypted data: One way to fight back against cybercriminals is to use encryption to secure your data. But what is encryption? I mean, what does encryption mean, both in the sense of what it does and how it secures your data and communications? Let’s hash it out. What Does Encryption Mean? A Quick Data Encryption Definition & Meaning Encryption is the process of taking plaintext data and transforming it into something random and unreadable. Why? It’s a way to secretly share information by restricting access to it. This way, only your intended recipient (i.e., whoever you want to read the message) can access it and no one else can. Encryption involves using two specific types of cryptographic tools: Encryption algorithms (which need to meet specific cryptographic security standards) Encryption key (which needs to be securely generated) Image caption: A basic illustration showcasing the process of data encryption. Looks simple enough, right? Appearances can be deceiving. The way cryptographic processes work in the background is a lot more complicated than how it appears on the surface. When you encrypt a message on the internet, you’re using a special string of randomized data called a cryptographic key. Keys can either be a set of two unique keys (asymmetric keys), or a single key (symmetric key) that encrypts and decrypts data. We’ll speak more on asymmetric and symmetric key encryption a little later. When applied, the key disguises your message by turning it into gibberish. This ensures that only the person who holds a corresponding secret key (i.e., your intended recipient) can read the message through a process known as decryption. The following illustration shows a basic overview of what the process looks like when sending a secure, encrypted message: Image caption: A basic illustration of how encryption protects sensitive data from unintended eyes. So, how do you know if a website is using a secure connection? It’s got a little padlock icon or another security indicator displaying in the browser’s URL bar: We’ll delve more into that in just another minute or two. But first, there’s one important thing we want to touch on before moving on to talking about what encryption does… Secure ≠ Safe When people see the padlock icon in their browser, they typically assume it means the website they’re using is safe. That’s not necessarily true. You can still have a website that uses a secure connection but it’s not safe because the site is controlled by one or more cybercriminals. This is why we always tell people that a secure website isn’t necessarily a safe website. The way to help customers ensure that they’re connecting to your legitimate website is to add digital identity to the equation. Your digital identity is like your passport; it’s a verifiable way for people who don’t know you to feel confident doing business with you. This is because you have a trusted third party (a certificate authority) vouching that you’re authentic — that you really are (insert your company’s name here). You can add digital identity by installing a website security certificate, or what’s otherwise known as an SSL/TLS certificate, on your server. This will enable data to transmit using the secure HTTPS (hypertext transport protocol secure) protocol instead of the insecure HTTP. Here’s a quick example of what an extended validation (EV) SSL/TLS certificate looks like in Google Chrome: Image caption: A combination screenshot of the SSL/TLS certificate for wellsfargo.com. As you can see, the certificate displays the company’s (subject) verified organizational information, including its location. SSL/TLS certificates come in three validation levels: domain validation (DV), organization validation (OV), and extended validation. They rank from lowest to highest in terms of the digital identity assurance they offer (hence why EV certificates are sometimes called high assurance certificates). Why You Need to Secure Your Data There are several reasons why your organization needs to secure your data and communication channels: You’re required to do so for compliance. Depending on your industry or geographic region, it’s likely that there’s at least one data security regulation or law in place that requires you to secure your data using encryption. You want to protect your reputation. The importance of your brand and reputation can’t be overstated. Not encrypting your data is a surefire way to get yourself some unwanted publicity. If you don’t secure your data, it’s likely just a matter of time before it falls into cybercriminals’ hands. Customer trust matters to you. Encrypting your data goes a long way in helping you develop relationships with customers. If they know that you do all you can to keep their data safe, they’ll be more likely to want to do business with you. If you don’t and let it be known that you’ve had a cybersecurity incident, nearly one-third say they won’t do business with you. Fines, penalties, and lawsuits don’t appeal to you. Don’t spend money on fines, penalties, and lawyers if you don’t have to. You can avoid many situations where you’d face these things by securing your sensitive data.   It’s the right thing to do. There’s something to be said for just doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. Protecting the data that people and other organizations have entrusted you to protect definitely fits into that category. Encryption Secures Your Sensitive Transmitting and/or Resting Data Encryption can be used to encrypt everything from data sitting

Cyber Security, Featured, Other

Digital Signature vs Digital Certificate: A Quick Guide

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Digital certificates are akin to the internet’s versions of certificates of authenticity. Here’s what you need to know about them and the public key cryptographic technologies that make them work Digital certificates and/or signatures make your world more secure virtually everywhere you look online. These tools allow you to send secure emails and exchange sensitive information remotely without having to worry constantly that your data might fall into the wrong hands. But what is a digital signature? What is a digital certificate? How do they integrate seamlessly into your everyday life as both a consumer and service provider (even if you don’t know it)? We’ll answer all of these questions in this article that breaks down the difference between a digital signature vs digital certificate. Let’s decode it.. Digital Certificate vs Digital Signature: A Look at the Differences Between the Two Digital certificates and digital signatures are just two halves of the same coin. When you’re talking about a digital signature vs digital certificate, each plays a role in establishing and validating digital identity and aids in helping your organization facilitate digital trust. Digital trust is critical to elevating your brand and helping customers feel confident and secure doing business with you. We’ll go more in-depth on each of these concepts throughout the article. But first, we know some of you are in a hurry and don’t have much time to read this article. We’ve put together a brief overview so you’ll quickly get the gist of the differences and can move on your way: Digital Certificate Digital Signature What It Is A small data file (X.509 format) that contains identifying information (usually about a person and/or an organization) It’s a signed digital asset that consists of a string of characters created by hashing data and encrypting the resulting value. You use a digital certificate to create a digital signature. How to Describe It to Your Non-Technical Colleagues It’s like a passport for the digital world: it’s issued by a trusted third party and offers assurance that you’re you It’s like a notarized signature; it’s often used to show that digital assets (such as documents, messages, files, etc.) you create are authentic and haven’t been altered somehow What It Does A digital certificate ties your organization’s verified identity to a digital asset (website, email, software, etc.) A digital signature shows who created a file, message, or other digital asset, and that it hasn’t been changed since it was signed How It’s Created Create a certificate signing request (CSR) and send the information to the certificate authority. They’ll verify your identity and issue the certificate In most cases, you’ll need a digital certificate in order to create a digital signature. Once you have a certificate, many platforms (Windows Server, OpenSSL, Microsoft Word, Adobe, etc.) make it easy to create and apply a digital signature through the use of a hash function and encryption Where You Can Find One Installed on web servers, web applications, email clients, computers, mobile devices, IoT devices, etc. Many important files (such as software installers, PDFs, secure emails, etc.) contain digital signatures. How Long It Is Valid Each digital certificate is created with a set validity period — i.e., it has both issuance and expiration dates Digital signatures can be valid far longer than the certificate that created it when it is timestamped Alright, now that we’ve had this overview that highlights a digital signature vs digital certificate, let’s dive a little more in depth into each of these elements… What Is a Digital Certificate? A digital certificate is a digital file containing verifiable information about you or your organization that validates your authenticity. Basically, it’s a way for the other party you’re connecting to, to check whether you are who you say you are (i.e., you’re not a fraudster). Digital certificates are kind of like the organizations that issue certificates of authentication for athletes’ autographs. If I want to ensure that I’m getting hockey goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy’s signature (Go Bolts!), I’m not just going to buy it from some random person on eBay. I’m going to get it from a reputable source that provides a genuine certificate of authentication. Likewise, the same concept applies to installing code, software, and other executables from reputable sources. You won’t just download unsigned software from a third-party website that could be counterfeit and contain malware, right? (Please say you won’t.) It’s too risky and leaves you vulnerable to data compromise, identity theft, and a slew of other security issues. Digital certificates are X.509 files that you’ll find at the heart of public key infrastructure (PKI). They come in multiple varieties that serve various purposes: Code signing certificates help you prove the authenticity of your software, containers, and code and protect it against unauthorized modifications. Image caption: A screenshot of the code signing certificate information that displays in Chrome for one of our company’s digital certificates. Document signing certificates help you prove the authenticity and integrity of your Microsoft Office and PDF files. (NOTE: Not all document signing certificates can be used to digitally sign Adobe PDFs.) Email signing certificates help you prove to recipients’ email clients and servers that your emails are legitimate and haven’t been altered. They also enable you to send secure, encrypted messages to recipients who also use email signing certificates. Image caption: A screenshot of the email signing certificate information that displays in Chrome for one of my digital certificates. Client authentication certificates (AKA personal authentication certificates) help you remotely verify your identity so you can access web apps and other resources online. These are frequently the same certificates as email signing certificates SSL/TLS certificates help you prove that your website is authentic (owned by you) and enables your server to establish secure connections with users to protect their data in transit. Image caption: A screenshot of the SSL/TLS certificate information that displays in Chrome for TheSSLstore.com. What Is a Digital Signature? A digital signature is something you apply to a specific file (using your

Cyber Security, Featured, Other

SBOM: An Up-Close Look at a Software Bill of Materials

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  A software bill of materials lists the “ingredients” in a software product, making it easier to identify and avoid security risks Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few years, you’ve likely at least heard of Log4j. This is an Apache open source library that’s commonly used in just about everything Java-related online. Unfortunately, in late 2021 the logging package was discovered to be critically vulnerable to remote code execution attacks, meaning an attacker could exploit it to install malware (e.g., ransomware) onto vulnerable systems and inject larger networks. Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince reported on Twitter that there were 400 confirmed exploit attempts per second. But that’s just one estimate — according to The Washington Journal, Akamai Technologies said it observed 10 million such exploit attempts per hour. Research from Check Point also showed that the attackers were rolling out new variants of the exploits — more than 60 in under 24 hours. That’s a lot of exploits and a lot of variations to boot. Considering that the Log4j vulnerability affected major companies like Amazon, Apple, and IBM, it’s no surprise that it had companies globally worried. But what makes the situation particularly concerning is that many companies weren’t aware that the products they use contained such vulnerable elements. If only there was a way that organizations could know exactly what components are part of the software they use… Oh, wait, there is: they could use products that come with a software bill of materials (SBOM). But what is a software bill of materials and how can it help organizations mitigate some of the cyber risks facing their organizations and networks? Let’s hash it out. What Is a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)? A software bill of materials is a list of the base elements (such as code libraries) used to create a product. Basically, it provides details and information that outline the relationships between the various elements of the software in your supply chain. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has a bit more technical definition for an SBOM, describing it as “a nested inventory for software, a list of ingredients that make up software components.” It includes everything from version information and what companies created those elements. Putting it more simply, SBOMs enable companies to know exactly what goes into their software — ideally, so they can keep a close eye on any dependencies. So, going back to the Log4j example, if you’re using software that includes the vulnerable library, you would know instantly because Log4j would be listed in the SBOM. You could reach out to your vendor to ensure they’re providing a patch using an updated version of Log4j. But you can’t assess or mitigate specific cybersecurity risks if you don’t know they exist. This is where an SBOM can help. An analogy that’s commonly used to describe these lists of components is the ingredient labels on packaged food items. (We’ll speak more to that in a minute.) The purpose of an SBOM is to create transparency and help companies identify dependencies in their software supply chains. This is because, as a purchaser, you’re supposed to receive or be able to access SBOMs for products you purchase. This way, you know a good amount of information about your supply chain. SBOMs are something that can be used to address a wide variety of security issues for everything from software to IoT devices. Even the U.S. Government Encourages Using SBOMs to Improve Security In fact, the May 2021 U.S. Executive Order (EO 14028) on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity calls upon the use of SBOMs to help strengthen the defenses of U.S. federal information systems. (Government agencies are now required to collect them from software suppliers.) The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed the Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF) to aid this initiative, and it requires software bill of materials information to be included. NIST says that SBOMs are complementary to other software security processes; they’re not meant to replace other security-related functions such as cybersecurity supply chain risk management (CSCRM) activities. What Types of Information SBOMs Should Include In its 2021 Multistakeholder Process on Software Component Transparency document, NTIA explains that an SBOM typically includes specific information about a product’s baseline components: Author’s Name Supplier name Component name Version string Component hash (yup! Cryptographic functions play a key [excuse the pun] role here, too) Unique identifier Dependency Relationship Timestamp For a complete list of minimum requirements, check out NTIA’s SBOM Minimum Elements Report. It breaks down the minimum elements that should be addressed in an SBOM into three main categories: Data fields, Automation support, and Practices and Processes. Do SBOMs have to be created at the time you’re developing your software? Not necessarily. You also can create SBOMs retroactively. The only thing to note about that is that it might not be as complete as an SBOM that’s generated as part of your software development life cycle (SDLC) process. SBOMs Are Typically Meant to Be Read By Machines, Not People…. An SBOM isn’t something that just anyone can look at and read easily; it’s presented in one of a few standardized formats that are readable by computers (but not human beings, unless you know what to look for) to improve integration and automation. These three standards (listed in alphabetical order) include: CycloneDX, which also works for software-as-a-service (SaaSBOM), hardware bill of materials (HBOM), and other uses. The file format for this type of SBOM is .xml. Software Identification (SWID), which is also an international open standard (ISO/IEC 19770-2:2015, updated 2021). Acceptable file formats are .json and .xml. Software Package Data eXchange (SPDX), which is an international open standard (ISO/IEC 5962:2021). Acceptable file formats include .json, .spdx, .rdf .xls, .xml, and .yml. Image caption: A screenshot from NTIA that we’ve highlighted to illustrate the different informational requirements that a software bill of materials must include. Original image source: NTIA. Who a Software Bill of Materials Benefits (Spoiler Alert: Everyone) According to

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