The managing director of e-Sign, Gregg Rowley, says that while virus protectors such as Norton Utilities work by attacking viruses as they come in, digital certificates attack from the other end. They prevent viruses going out in the first place. This is because the sender would have been instantly asked whether they wanted to add a digital signature. Rowley says the growth of the internet means many more people now need access to companies' networks. The issue is how to prove these people are who they say they are.
Digital certificates help here.
Rowley says he recently spoke to a chief executive of a major trading bank who said 50 per cent of fraud experienced by the bank was internet-related. Companies are fighting computer fraud by requiring more identification. Digital certificates can be issued by a range of organisations, including banks, internet service providers, telecommunications companies and government agencies. With security such a major issue, Rowley expects there will be a lot of outsourcing to IT security specialists. If you are a small operation, it is too difficult to stay ahead of the measures you need.