Encryption through SSL Certificates- an Enormous amount of data is generated on daily basis over the web. This data is then stored, manipulated and analyzed. 90% of the data generated is moved to cloud and collectively stored in the cloud server. Today, Data is considered to be driving the world, so it becomes important to secure it from middle-men attack. This type of data security or internet security can be attained by installing SSL certificates.
Why we need to protect Big Data
In the virtual world, everything is considered as data. Big data plays a major role in many major and important industries, such as:
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Banking
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Healthcare
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Climate data
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Astronomy data
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Security numbers
Keeping these industries in mind, you can analyze the importance and how valuable data is. When we talk about data here, it not only includes business credentials but the list is endless, which includes:
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Credit card number
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Social security number
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Financial transactions
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User interaction
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Social media interactions and so on
When we share our personal information or financial information over Internet, it is important to transfer that data securely over the web. It is also important to store data in a way that no third party can access it without permission. Valuable data such as social security number, personal information, credit card number can be used or manipulated by the hacker if not transferred or stored securely. If failed to do so, it can lead to various consequences such as:
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Stolen identity
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Financial loss/theft: Credit card details can be used for making purchases
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Misuse of social security number: It is used for indexing credit, employee records, and patient records. It can be used for:
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Credit
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Healthcare
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Loan by committing identity theft
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However, it is the responsibility of organizations engaged in storing and managing data, to ensure data security. It is their job to keep data safe so that it is not misused. But hackers are way smarter nowadays. They find a way to access and manipulate data. So it is important to share sensitive data over the web in such a way that it does not fall into wrong hands. If it does, it should be in such a form that it cannot be read or manipulated. This can be done with the help of encryption.
Importance of Encryption
Data encryption is nothing but a translator. It translates data to be transferred into non-readable form. The Only person having decryption key can access the data by making use of the secret key (also known as the decryption key). Encryption is important as it securely protects sensitive data such as:
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Emails
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Chat history
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Tax information
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Credit card number
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Social security number and so on
In an initial stage, encryption was merely 56-bit key size. But over years it has grown stronger to 256-bit key size. The importance of encryption has grown along with the importance of the virtual world. Nowadays, banking and financial transactions share data over the net. Let sharing be between two organizations or between businesses and users;whatever the case is, it is important to share data in a secured form to protect it from the man-in-middle attack. To maintain integrity and security of data being transferred, Secure Socket Layers (commonly known as SSL) are employed.
Encryption through SSL certificates
Secure Socket Layer is an internet security protocol, which ensures the integrity and security of data being transferred over theweb. Whereas SSL certificate provides secure encrypted communication between server and web browser. It is basically a small data file that digitally binds a key to an organization’s details that is installed on a web server. On installing it activates the padlockand https:// protocol, which ensures a safe and secure connection.
SSL certificate is divided into three basic categories:
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Domain Validation (DV): The control of the domain by the applicant is verified for the issuance of the certificate.
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Organization Validation (OV): The domain of organization is checked by CA
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Extended Validation (EV): These are issued after validation by CA
Conclusion
Unprotected data can easily be hacked and manipulated by hackers. To avoid or prevent the middlemen attack, it is important to secure data and transfer it over the Internet through a secured connection. This can easily be done by installing SSL certificates. Depending upon nature of the business, choose the certificate that will fulfill your business requirements, but it is important to buy SSL certificate form authorized CA. As big data is gathered and transferred over the Internet, it is important to secure it from falling into wrong hands. To maintain data integrity and security, a SSL certificate plays an important role as it encrypts data and transfers it through an encrypted connection. SSL certificate not only secures main domain but can also provide security to sub-domains depending upon your choice of SSL certificate.