It is true that there are various ways through which spoofing can be prevented. Some of the leading ways of preventing spoofing include the use of the secured connections, encryption of information, among a plethora of authentication methods. Nonetheless, even with the existence of such elaborate ways to avert parodying in the internet, the existing methods are still unable to promise internet users of a formidable internet security. Cyber criminals target anyone using the internet and businesses too are not exempted.
The Online Trust Alliance, abbreviated OTA is a Seattle based non-profit making group headed by Craig Spiezle (once a Microsoft executive) whose major objective is to empower businesses, internet users and other stakeholders with skill to help them stay protected while using the internet. The author of the article reports that he happened to have attended some of the meetings by OTA in New York. According to the author, it is really important for business people and government official to be cognizant of what OTA does. In one of the meeting that the author attended, the some of the speakers included The FBI, representatives from the office of the U.S. Attorney General, and several business people. The hot topic in the meeting was how criminals have resorted to the internet to undertake their felonious activities. Are the group maintained in the meeting, that is was overly determined to promote online trust while still encouraging innovation which are essential for business.
The OTA’s major players include some of the biggest businesses in the world. Representing several businesses, the OTA missions are designed in a way that they are very germane to business processes particularly the interaction between businesses and their clients. One of the major issues that OTA is determined to protect internet users from is falling prey to cyber criminals who use online advertisements to spread malevolent programs. Cyber criminals, through the use of emails, always lure internet users to reveal their reveal personal details like names, passwords, and credit card information through the use of phishing emails. OTA also mandates itself with the duty of authenticating emails in a bid to protect online user from phishing. Besides, businesses need protection from losing data to cyber criminals. The protection of data and “Breach Readiness Planning” is yet another mission of the OTA. Additionally, while acknowledging that the internet has turned the world into a global village, Craig Spiezle, during an interview with the author of the article asserts that the OTA also strives to partner which stakeholders from other countries around the world in sharing information that are utilitarian in making the internet a safe spot. A similar mission is seen in OTA’s endeavor to help internet users, particularly in the European Union, to maintain their privacy in the internet. The group is also developing several programs that will go a long way in enabling it educate people on how to stay safe in the internet. It is also notable that the group offers advisories to businesses and governments, among others, on matters relating to internet security and regulations.
According to the article, cyber criminals do not discriminate hence no one is completely safe; virtually any important data can be stolen by cyber criminals if such data is not kept properly. This can be seen from the recent cyber attacks experienced by the U.S. government that have since been traced to China. This gives insight to the fact that even the organizations that appear to potently immune to cyber attacks can still be attacked by cyber criminals. And it is partly for this reason that OTA is working with different organizations including governments to restore user confidence to internet users and also protect them.
Pointedly, business organizations are always aware of the threats that cyber thieves pose to data even though most businesses are always not prepared to deal with the contingences that arise in any case such happen. Furthermore, as indicated in the article, businesses always assume that they are insubordinate to such occurrences. Nevertheless, it is pertinent to note that since cyber criminals can attack any business organization, businesses need to view the issue more censoriously and involve all the departments in the organization in the protection of data. To this effect, the OTA has a document that that can be used by businesses as a guide to protect their businesses. The author concludes that article by saying that he left the OTA meeting having learnt several things about cyber security and implores business organizations to review OTA’s work in a bid to stay safe from cyber crimes.
I was particularly impressed by the fact that his not-for-profit organization has invested a lot of time and money in educating people and business organizations about the various ways through which they can protect themselves from cyber crimes. The website, though relatively poor in graphics, is staggeringly instructive. It is true that the world is fast becoming techno savvy and businesses are increasingly becoming reliant on online transaction- I was very impressed to find out that some of OTA members are among the leading extended validation secure socket layer (EVSSL) Certification companies like VeriSign and Symantec. On the negative, it can be asserted that most of OTA initiatives are meant for businesses and not individual internet users even though the group purports to be equally concerned about individual business users. I would recommend that the group should also spend considerable amount of time finding solutions to internet related problems that face individual internet users. Additionally, although OTA’s website is very insightful and informative, many of my friends, as I found out, are not aware about the existence of OTA. The group should thence strive to create awareness about its existence if it really wishes to make a big impact.
Work Cited
Tobias, Marc Weber . "Internet Security: Whom Should You Trust? - Forbes." Information for the World's Business Leaders - Forbes.com. N.p., 10 Feb. 2013. Web. 3 Apr. 2013.
