A new headline each day reminds us that there exists a constant challenge in keeping our online information secret. Newer online engagement trends including Facebook and other social media platforms further strengthen this argument. Security issues involving companies that have been allowed access to our confidential information are becoming distressingly common to hear – from organizations we have never even engaged with before!
Most people still do not know how businesses store and utilize our data. There are endless reports of stolen customer information, but we still give our own, happily, to enjoy the benefits of cloud services and social networking sites.
Even though we have engaged necessary security measures to safeguard our Internet data but still, we hear security breaches news every day. So, it is but natural to fear as to what the future of Internet security will be.
Encryption will become compulsory
Encryption is a massive cover to achieve data security and safety. It includes all the necessary mechanics from hashing that protects login credentials to algorithms that ensure cryptographic signature’s truthfulness. Irrespective of whatever shape it takes, encryption demonstrates the effort of the tech sector to overcome the different issues that need to be addressed to achieve data secrecy and protection.
In the future, assume all internet traffic to be encoded by default. For consumers connecting to websites that do not implement the HTTPS protocol, both Google’s and Mozilla’s browsers show a highly-visible “Non-secure connection” alert. Encryption is no longer only for the sites dealing with customer’s confidential information, but also for all other parties – ISPs, vendors, fraudsters, spammers, and law enforcement officials – monitoring virtually all the actions users take online.
Essential of SSL certificates for online web security
The future of online privacy and security will highly be dependent on encryption and that is the reason the SSL certificates will become necessary. SSL security protocol utilizes encryption to secure the data of the consumers and the site’s resources from the reach of cybercriminals. They also increase the trust of visitors visiting a given site – the ones having a valid SSL certificate end up attracting more traffic towards them.
The TLS (Transport Layer Security) certificates are issued by a valid certification authority (CA) after a thorough investigation of the client’s business and domain. This authentication process greatly helps CA identify fake websites or businesses pretending to be the real ones.
If you have still not installed an SSL certificate on your site then you should get one for yourself now. Otherwise, you will gradually lose all your customers and your site will also remain vulnerable to all sorts of cyberattacks. If you want to buy an SSL certificate for your site, then you should go with reputed CA’s, go through the list of all well-known and valid SSL certificate providers to purchase the one for your website.
At present, most sites requiring user’s sensitive information like login credentials, passwords, banking details, etc., have adopted SSL certificates to safeguard their site and client’s data. But in the future, this will also change, and SSL certificates will be implemented on all the sites as a standard security practice.
Data regulation is coming
This one is beginning already. The European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), also referred to as the “new cookie policy pop-up law” by most North Americans, focuses on getting approval to gather private information from internet consumers and putting the authority of that data in the hands of customers from whom it is obtained.
The Consumer Protection Act of California, seen by most as a precedent-setter, goes the next length, banning those who choose not to engage in the information collection and monetization system from refusing services. Both Maine and New York too are considering bills identical to the one approved in California. Demands for federal regulations have been triggered by lingering concerns about the illegal disclosure of customer data, especially location information.
Online users will demand greater control of their information
The social media sites, to whom we easily give our confidential information, have also made the headlines about these security breaches. This has forced users to think if their online information is secure or not. Nearly half of all Americans do not believe that social networking platforms are doing what they should do to safeguard their private data, as per the Pew Research Center. But Pew also reports that Americans are still using social networking sites as often as before, despite their concerns, with 74% of Facebook consumers making regular visits to the platform. Most advanced social media surfers use a VPN to stay confidential as a VPN protects data and privacy.
However, there are evolving habits behind such stats that lead to a future in which consumers are more aware of how their internet behavior turns into data, and corporations are beginning to sit up and take note.
In this era of increased understanding of data collection methods, it is no surprise that the idea of “Data Minimalism” has gained momentum in the technology sector. The concept is simple – obtain only the information required to deliver goods and services – be honest about it – and give fair market value to those who want to share their information with you. In short, to build predictive systems, data minimalism places a premium on maintaining confidence, not on gathering as much knowledge as possible about consumers.
However, if that trust is compromised, would customers have the authority to remove or completely withdraw access to their information? This may happen in near future. That is because the future of data privacy is one where user control of private information is embedded in the architecture of the internet.
Conclusion
The future of online privacy is looking proactive rather than reactive. It will be one in which customers will be more aware of the problems and will not wait for the next humiliating loss of data to happen to act before they take steps to secure their private information. It will also be an age in which collaboration ties real technology to implementable policies; one in which all aspects of customer privacy will be considered and protected, from federal laws to company terms and conditions.
Author Bio
I’m Ken Smith; an avid reader was on the outlook for some tech and gaming blogs that provide a sheer treat to the eyes yet add more info to my log. I love writing about technology & Games.
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