'Net Features : website security

GlobalSign Alert Service Helps Fight Phishing

Michael Garrity — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 22:00:00 GMT

In order to provide its customers with real-time alerts about their SSL Certificates, which tell them when their websites are compromised and used to support phishing attacks, certification authority GlobalSign has partnered with Internet services provider Netcraft.

The GlobalSign Netcraft Phishing Alert service will first tell GlobalSign when one of its customers’ websites is being used to support phishing attacks, and the company will then immediately notify and advise the customers on remediation steps so they can quickly fix the problem and stop the attack. And, if GlobalSign discovers that a site has specifically created for malicious intent, it will revoke its certificate.

This service, the first of its kind, means customers can maximize their investment in GlobalSign with additional security against these highly prevalent, not to mention persistent, criminal attacks. For a partner, Netcraft was an ideal selection, as it is continually produces an updated phishing feed (one that is currently used by all of the major Web browsers), and it has blocked more than 5 million phishing attacks to date.

Websites are required to have an SSL Certificate to activate the SSL/TLS technology built into a browser or server. Once it’s activated, it will provide an encrypted link between the browser and server to secure transactions or data submission. As SSL trust signals are meant to inspire confidence in users, it can be especially disastrous for consumers and website owners if a site is compromised and used to deploy phishing pages. Luckily for GlobalSign customers, the GlobalSign Netcraft Phishing Alert will significantly reduce their risk of becoming victims of such an attack.

Can Nu Campaign Fix Captcha?

Michael Garrity — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:00:00 GMT

NuCaptcha Inc., the "Human-Friendly" Captcha, is urging users to "Make the Switch" with their new campaign.

While the implementation of Captchas has certainly been a good thing for website users and owners looking for both security online and a way to reduce or eliminate spam, its flaws can, at times, be very apparent.

In most cases, Captchas pose little to no problems, unless you're a bot. However, there are several instances when Captchas prove to be more of a hindrance than a help, whether it is because of a design issue or a user-related one. For example, a user with eyesight issues may have trouble making out the letters on a Captcha, and without help this could force them to abandon the task at hand; this could be problematic if he or she were trying to do time-sensitive online banking or bill paying.

More common, however, are problems that arise from poorly designed or difficult Captchas that can be tiring for any user to try to decipher. Just look at this list of the "top 10 worst Captcha's [sic] ever."

Complicated or confusing Captchas are an extremely easy way to drive users away from your site and drastically diminish conversion, so unless that is your business model (for some reason), you'd probably be better off trying to keep things as simple as possible.

This is the goal of NuCaptcha, company whose platform delivers a fast and easy way to complete a Captcha and also provides high website security. The whole idea behind the product is a simple Captcha interface that is specifically designed to retain users on a site and help them to quickly and efficiently pass through security.

Just last week, NuCaptcha announced their "Make the Switch" campaign in an attempt to attract website owners and, so they claim, put an end to Captcha-related frustrations on the part of the site's users. The company's endeavors are going to be aimed at site owners and webmasters looking for a user-friendly alternative to traditional Captcha platforms.

NuCaptcha's cutting-edge Captcha technology requires users to type in as little as 3 letters and can typically be completed in under 3 seconds.

The platform will enable websites of all sizes to choose their Captcha security and user-experience, which before was only possible for the highest-volume Captcha sites. They offer a variety of video-based templates that can be selected by owners to fit their look and feel of their individual website thanks to a new custom skinning technology (which is not as gross as it sounds). Owners are also able to control as many or as few details as they choose, such as size, choice of videos, security level and even optional branding, advertising and revenue production through NuCaptcha's advertising partners.

Website owners, particularly those who are on a tight budget but who want to utilize the security features that come with a Captcha platform, may want to start thinking about looking into a product like this. NuCaptcha offers a variety of choices for owners, such as their Free, Pro and Enterprise models, which all utilize the same usability and security features.

A Web Security Solution for the Business-minded

Linc Wonham — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:26:00 GMT

Two of the most oft-spoken words in the Web industry today are security and compliance. Webmasters and business owners have to be more vigilant than ever to protect themselves and their customers from cybercrime and to meet the latest regulatory standards to avoid potentially devastating repercussions.

The burden becomes even heavier when the website owner lacks the technical expertise required to maintain a safe and secure Web server, forcing a major investment of both time and resources. HostingArmor.com has launched a website security scanner to combat this problem by providing site owners with a simple and cost-effective way to understand and safeguard against their servers’ security vulnerabilities.

HostingArmor provides the technical data necessary to identify any security holes in a Web server, and unlike many other solutions, is designed to be used by novice website owners as well as the more technically proficient. Supported by the Nessus scanning engine, HostingArmor brings the same level of technical detail as traditional scanners but to a much broader audience, and requires no installation. Site owners simply add their scan targets to their accounts and can begin scanning more than 30,000 different Web server vulnerabilities.

HostingArmor is offering a 30-day free trial to its new vulnerability scanner to help site owners assess their own security risks. The trial offer allows users to scan their own domains up to 35 times during the first month and provides full access to every feature available.