If you bank, shop, or work on the Intertubes your security is changing. Your browser Security is changing because Symantec is selling its Website Security and related PKI business to PKI encryption solutions to DigiCert for nearly $1 Billion.
Experts estimate that Symantec (SYMC) owns 40% of the SSL certificate market. SSL/TLS certificates are used to encrypt the connections between browsers and HTTPS-enabled websites. The certificates are used to verify that users are actually visiting the websites they intended to and not spoofed versions. Certificates are issued by organizations known as certificate authorities that are trusted by default in browsers and operating systems.
As a result of the sale, many firms are going to have to reissue SSL/TLS server certificates. The reissued certs will ensure browser security and make sure there is no impact on your online experiences. These certificates are essential to ensure secure, encrypted communication for user interaction on the Intertubes.
Google Chrome browser security
Google (GOOG) has led the effort to decrease the disruption that could come along with this change. Google posted a plan back in July of 2017 regarding Symantec-issued SSL/TLS server certificates.
• In March 2018 Google Chrome (Chrome 66 Beta) will show a warning for sites secured with SSL/TLS certificates issued before June 1, 2016. Your security is at risk and data encryption will function normally, but your transactions will be disrupted by a warning in Chrome.
• Google has also stated that all SSL/TLS certificates that had been issued by Symantec before December 1, 2017, will not be trusted starting in September 2018 (Chrome 70 Beta). Doing transactions at sites that have not been updated will put your security at risk, and you will get a warning in Chrome.
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla, publisher of the Firefox web browser says that it intends to follow the same timeline proposed by Google.
rb-
This change is a normal procedure for typical certificate renewal. There should be no service disruption when the new certificates are issued as long as your web browser is up to date. There is no reason to have an out-of-date browser anymore. All three major browsers will auto-update. Other keys to staying safe online include:
- Always check for HTTPS when you plan on providing personal data to a website.
- Pay attention to any security warnings you receive when you visit a website. Although you can almost always trust the HTTPS you see in your browser URL, any additional warnings from your browser should show that there may be a problem with the connection, so you should proceed with caution.
Nearly 54% of all U.S. web browsers will be affected by these changes. Statista says that Chrome held almost 50% of the browser market share and Firefox held over 5% of the share in December 2017. 41% of Internet users are not covered by this change (Safari 32.7% and IE/Edge 9%).
Related article
Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.