Digital security certificates give assurance to regular users that the websites they are visiting are trusted and are free from malicious code. But what if these security certificates are themselves compromised?
Modern digital security certificates provide a confidential and encrypted communication between the users and website owners, the message can be decrypted only by using a private key which is available to website owners. As a result, hackers or data miners cannot intercept or gain access to confidential information between the user and owner without certificates.
Modern antivirus services are capable enough to immediately block websites or software that are not secured by such certificates, thereby it is difficult for anyone to inject malicious code into devices using compromised websites.
According to Haydn Johnson, senior consultant at KPMG, modern digital certificates are trusted as 'they require payment and proof of identity to tie the code, document, or application to the legitimate organization. They verify that the Certificate actually belongs to the person, organization, or entity that is noted in the certificate'. This approach prevents cyber-criminals from masquerading malware as legitimate software or website."
'With a certificate, the malware is allowed to run in a trusted state. Bypassing these technologies can save a cyber-criminal organization considerable development time and money,' Johnson adds.