Dedicated SSL 'can secure an entire domain'

The industry-described 'founder' of secure socket layer (SSL) encryption Dr Taher Elgamal told delegates at the AusCERT2009 information security conference that overall management of data leak protection remains a challenge.

Critical information is stored on multiple networks without any control from the owner, making identity theft difficult to protect against, leading to loss of reputation and consumer records.

An overall protection strategy needs to be in place because the number of entry and exit points to an organisation's network far exceeds the number of users and machines, Dr Elgamal, chief security officer of Axway, stated.

One such strategy may include purchasing a dedicated SSL, Dynamic Business advised about the concerns of data security. This means an organisation can secure its whole domain and enable full protection for users by redirecting the non-secure domain to the secure one.

"Shared SSL gives all the security of dedicated SSL but the perception of full security is lost when a customer moves from unsecured areas of your site to secure areas - the payment form - because the domain name changes," the publication noted.

Written by Greig Daines