Loading...Digital Certificates can do a lot more than just SSL
We are living in a mobile world. While there was once a point in time where most people accessed the internet from a desktop computer, today there are a litany of devices online and people tend towards tablets and smart phones that fit easily in hands and bags than their more traditional counterparts.
But, there are still plenty of risks inherent with that model. More risks, in fact. As a business, you have to weigh the convenience factor of allowing your employees access to company networks from their mobile devices against the security risks that come from that.
But let’s strip the labels from this for a second, at its core this is still just securing end points. You need to find a way to authenticate these devices so that they can access sensitive data. And the best way to do it is digital certificates.
Digital Certificates Secure So Much
There are a ton of different end points you can secure with digital certificates, the most common use – as far as the average internet users is concerned – is SSL/TLS. And that’s a great use, but digital certificates, which are a component of Public Key Infrastructure, can also be used for:
Securing Email Servers with Digital Certificates
How do you determine which devices can access your email servers? Passwords are outmoded and risky but using digital certificates for authentication is definitely a good option. Not only is it user-friendly and convenient, it’s also much safer.
Encrypting Email and Documents
Now let’s talk about the email itself, or other similar documents, how do you know who sent them and whether they’re in tact? Easy, with digital certificates. Just use the associated private key to sign your email or file and its recipient will know who it came from and whether it’s been tampered with.
Wi-Fi Networks
Wi-Fi passwords are notoriously insecure, but you still need to limit who can use your network. Digital Certificates can handle the authentication much better than passwords and can be revoked to deny access at a moment’s notice.
VPN Access
Just like with Wi-Fi networks, you can authenticate and allow access to a VPN with the use of digital certificates.