Phishing sites tackled with DNSSEC web upgrade

22 July 2010 - 21:10

The root servers at the heart of the internet are being updated to make online shopping even more secure and to combat the threat posed by phony websites.

By adding in an element known as domain name system security extensions (DNSSEC), it will be more difficult for fraudulent websites to trick users as consumers will instead be directed to the legitimate website.

This will make a significant difference to safe shopping online, because consumers will be less likely to encounter a phishing site that disguises itself as the real thing since the authentication process will be far more sophisticated whenever you enter an address into your browser.

The core infrastructure of the internet has been overhauled thanks to the efforts of various regulatory organisations. This process has involved collaboration from a number of businesses in order to protect the consumer from data loss and identity theft.

In the past it has been possible for criminals to hijack the web addresses of popular online retail and banking sites, so that when users attempt to visit them they are automatically redirected to a phishing site that will then steal their login credentials or infect their computers with malware and viruses, according to VeriSign's Ken Silva.

Mr Silva said that the addition of DNSSEC to the root servers will make it far more difficult to compromise the security of safe shopping online, as those managing them will have encrypted access that will be difficult to crack.

It has been known for some time that there were key faults in the way in which the internet handles domain names which made it ripe for exploitation by the criminal fraternity. It has taken significant resource and effort to put in place these vital changes which should now begin to improve the online shopping experience for consumers and businesses alike.