The increasing popularity of shopping online has given rise to justified concerns about security. The safety of financial data provided online and the trustworthiness of the supplier are just two of the concerns of online shoppers.
One particular concern is that of spoofed websites, those where a hacker has either hijacked the legitimate site, or created one that looks very similar, but is designed to steal financial information.
Many e-retailers use the services of third parties as part of their payment processes, and to add a level of trust to the transactions. Third parties such as Verisign can give the customer the confidence to make an online payment. In this article, you will get all about security systems, VeriSign secured mean, How it works and the purpose of Verisign.. Read on.
What does VeriSign secured mean?
All websites have an address of the type ABC.def.ghi.KLM that the Internet uses to establish a connection between the customer and the website. Because most people find it easier to remember widgets.com than 171.35.234.181, the Domain Name System (“DNS”) establishes a correspondence between the two.
DNS information is kept in a register managed by registrars, of whom Verisign is one. Maintaining the security and integrity of the DNS database is critical to the correct functioning of the internet.
The critical role performed by Verisign in keeping the DNS is key to achieving that goal.
Verisign supports a unique, proprietary DNS registration and resolution infrastructure. is has been designed built for dependability in an environment of malware attacks such as ransomware and cyber threats increasing in frequency and virulence. Their network of hardware and specialized software is installed globally across hundreds of points of presence. It has provided uninterrupted resolution service for the .com and .net top-level domains (TLDs) for over 24 years.
How to obtain a Verisign SSL Certification?
To ensure the validity of the DNS environment, several companies, called Certificate Authorities (CA’s), issue Digital Certificates. The two largest and most widely supported CA’s are VeriSign and Thawte.VeriSign certificates are supported by a larger number of (much) older web browsers.
Simply put, when a user connects to a website, the local browser uses the certificate to ensure that the website is who it says it is and establishes a secure connection between the browser and the site.
How do secure certificates work?
A key part of online security is the encryption of the data being transferred between the user and the website. This goes a long way to preventing the theft of data and the malware exploit known as the “man-in-the-middle”. The encryption is achieved using SSL technology.
SSL is shorthand for “Secure Sockets Layer”, a globally recognised security technology. Most browsers and websites use it to have, in essence, a private conversation between the user and the website. It reduces the risk of the theft of sensitive information such as credit card and other financial information and access credentials like user ids and passwords.
A website using SSL certification can be recognised by the padlock on the browser information bar, and the HTTPS:// prefix to the site URL.
A secure connection is created with the installation of an SSL certificate (also referred to as a “digital certificate”) on a web server. The installation serves two functions:
- Authentication of the website (to assure visitors that they are not on a bogus site)
- Establishing the data encryption parameters that encrypt the data that’s being transmitted
What is the purpose of Verisign?
Verisign is one of the most respected DNS administrators. In addition to managing domain registrations they:
- Carry out and publishes critical research that enhances DNS security and stability, on topics including:
- name collision risks in new TLDs;
- cryptographic security key deployment preparedness;
- unnecessary root queries due to browser design; and
- develop new technologies such as name minimization, which enables DNS query privacy with minimal overhead.
On their website, they state their resp[onsibilities as:
- We join fund and support efforts led by ICANN and other industry groups to combat DNS abuse. We work with law enforcement and other authorities against DNS-related security threats and illegal activity, including COVID-19 fraud, child abuse and malicious botnets. In 2020, we took part in a successful NTIA / FDA pilot countering illegal online opioid sales and worked closely with the FBI against COVID-19-related scams.
- Under our Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce, the .com registry must remain content-neutral – ensuring equal access to .com domain names for all legal website content, regardless of viewpoint. The Cooperative Agreement also underscores ICANN’s high specifications for operational performance, as set out in the .com Registry Agreement.
- No other registry has such wide-ranging obligations to the global internet community. Subject to satisfying these obligations, we are then able to perform the more visible aspects of our business, providing registry services for .com and our other popular TLDs. At wholesale prices regulated by the U.S. government for .com, we serve the needs of over 2,000 ICANN accredited retail registrars who, in turn, sell domain names to individual or business end-users.
If you are using a website that has a valid Verisign certificate, then you can be sure that you are dealing with the correct website.
MSPs like HostSailor can provide advice and guidance on SSL Certification. If you have any queries or concerns about validation and certification, please contact us for an informal chat.