Cybersecurity: It is High Time the Tide be Turned on Hackers

Summary

With the recent hacks at Target, Home Depot, Kmart, and JP Morgan Chase & Co, one really

wonders whether hackers have the winning edge in this ongoing cyber battle. There is nothing to

wonder because, in many ways, they do. As each day passes by, it makes it easier and cheap for

cyber criminals to mount attacks that were insanely expensive just a few years ago.

So, what is happening with the good guys?

Well, it is getting extremely hard and expensive for them to guard even the most basic technology

from hackers who each time use advanced hacking tools.

What Internet needs is new approach that secures its communications and promises to shift the

balance of power back to the good guys.

Target the Man in the Middle (MitM)

An innovative cybersecurity approach that makes it difficult for even the most determined cyber

criminal is much needed today.

A standard that blocks Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks is crucial, since it is tough to break. The

key defense against MitM attacks is encryption. Today, hackers are able to crack any encryption as

the recent data breaches attest.

Further, encryption technologies like Secure Socket Layer (SSL) and virtual private networks

(VPNs) are point-to-point.

Today's complex tech world needs a secure end-to-end communications, where Web traffic might

cross several intermediate nodes that become weak points for MiM attacks.

A encryption technology that not only splits a single message into different parts, but can also

encrypt each part message separately is what the digital world is aiming to develop.

MitM Attacks Made Difficult

Such a standard would clearly make MiM attacks very difficult, and sometimes increased toughness

is all the prevention one needs.

But in some situations, just raising the bar for attackers would not be adequate enough to stop

them. This holds true in cases where money is involved, or when terrorists might show interest in

a big target like a government building or a power plant or government building.

For companies that are security-sensitive, there must exist several layers of security, and top-

notch technology that offer increasing security over time.

Thoughts Should Match That of a Hacker

Whenever companies develop a security standard, they should always put on a hacker's hat and

ask what would be the best way to defeat their technology. This is the best approach to intercept a

hacker's thoughts, if at all they have to stopped.

No security is entirely immune to threats but a clever approach to protect the message that passes

through differentiates security standards from hacking attempts.

What the Future Holds

Businesses that are largely consumer-centric are the high-value targets for hackers. High-profile

commercial industries like banks and top retailers are the most hacked in recent times.

Banks involve a great deal of money, while e-commerce sites deal with several credit/debit card

information. Ultimately, everything is about money. Financial gain seems the sole motive of

hackers today.

The rising data breaches and increasing security concerns have pushed some of the tech giants to

take radical step toward bolstering Internet security.

Google's decision to only rank HTTPS-encrypted websites on its search page, and Apple's to lock

smartphones preventing law enforcement from accessing user data are two notable examples.

By pushing down unencrypted websites and pushing away law enforcement, Google and Apple

have further emphasized the importance of user privacy and security.

If all companies could adopt the same policy, prioritizing user privacy and Internet security, then

we could see a considerable decline in hacks. But since not all come cheap, probably is what that

holds organizations from enforcing or adopting encryption standards.

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