BOSTON – Cyber security is an issue facing all businesses online and implementing a security plan is key to protecting against online fraud, according to executives at the Authentication and Online Trust Summit.
In yesterday’s opening keynote panel called “How to Fry a Phish and Protect Your Brand Domain and Infrastructure,” executives discussed strategies to building a security system online. Shutdowns and browser e-mail blocking are vital to hosting a secure Web site because they will update the security of a site.
“A layered approach is key because fraudsters will often be able to penetrate one layer of your online identity,” said Jens Hinrichsen, product marketing manager at RSA.
In addition, it is important to create a protective system when outsourcing e-mail. An e-mail provider should know how the brand is using communications and managing campaigns.
“We see a lot of bad practices on the social Web 2.0 sites,” said Rod Rausmussen, director of operations of Internet Identity. “There are a lot of tools out there these days for users to create communications. So those social Web site vendors need to be open to the fact that they are creating a social environment where fraud can occur.”
In the second keynote session, “Cyber Security: How Business, Industry and Government Must Work Together,” Howard Schmidt, who served as chief security officer of Microsoft, chief infrastructure security officer of eBay and White House cyber security advisor, discussed the security challenges that businesses face operating online.
“Some people are concerned about doing anything online because of security threats,” Mr. Schmidt said. “But we’re seeing more and more people say ‘Yes, I can do this,’ because there are more security tools to help out there that can help.”
Implementing a security system online is a way to protect a brand online. However, as wireless technologies become more widely adopted, it is important to set up a security program here as well.
“We’ve matured very much in firewalls and protection, but as we expand our ability to connect, we seem to forget that [the] firewall is over here, but wireless is open,” Mr. Schmidt said. “Without wireless security, we are vulnerable.”
