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The Failure of UK Universities to Provide Adequate SSL Security

Some Universities in England have poor SSL Security

Many of the top universities in the UK were found to have very weak SSL security on their websites. The websites running HTTPS were tested, and 17 were discovered to have very poor SSL. A few of these are top 10 universities including UCL, Bath, Lancaster and Oxford.  SSL security should not be taken lightly. The weak security leaves lecturers, students and anyone else with an account vulnerable to attacks from hackers. With poor SSL security, hackers can easily hijack a session on the university network and steal passwords. These passwords may make it possible for a hacker to access other accounts belonging to the user.

Hackers access the information in a number of ways when weak connections are present. They could use one of the many tools available and force to get access to sensitive user information. They could also use man-in-the-middle attacks to interfere with the connection between the server and client.
The ranking system used to determine how secure the security on university networks is based on the strength of the key exchanges and ciphers, validity of the certificate and the protocols the site supports. This includes both Transport Layer Security (TLS) and SSL. Many sites that need security support both types, but a user isn’t protected if the browser doesn’t support the technology.
SSL is not completely secure and weaknesses have been discovered in the past. A flaw discovered in 2009 that allowed data to be injected between users into encrypted traffic. This gave hackers a chance to give false commands in the lines of communication. A different attack, known as the BEAST attack, enabled hackers to decrypt data. The primary problem that the university websites had with SSL is incorrectly configured servers. Many websites, not just the ones belonging to well-known universities, have failed to implement the latest SSL security and have left themselves open for attack.

Implementing the latest SSL security is not a time consuming process. Many of the universities that were contacted quickly fixed the problem. The universities, which included UCL, the University of Nottingham, the University of Glasgow, Lancaster University and the University of Manchester, currently score an A as opposed to a C or D when rated on SSL security after the changes were made.
Some universities, which are not identified due to security concerns, did not respond at all to the inquiries sent by TechWeekEurope. Others addressed that an issue was present but did not make any immediate changes to fix the problem or stated that the problem will be addressed in the future. Even though the configurations for the newer and safer versions of SSL are available and not difficult to implement, many websites are still left vulnerable due to unsafe security practices.

Guest Post Author – Oliver Macpherson

Oliver Macpherson has worked for an ssl certificates provider for the past 10 years and believes in the importance of protecting confidential data where possible. He currently works for SSL247.

Top 10 Must Have Gadgets!

This Blog post details the 10 must-have gadgets that are worth knowing about if you want to keep yourself updated with the most advanced, high quality devices.  The ranking reveals not only the most popular offers, but also those with the best functions.  This could also be a guide for individuals who are just about to make a purchase!
Apple iPad 3
This is the latest generation of iPad from Apple.  It functions as a platform for audio and visual media, which includes books, periodicals, movies, music games, web content and presentations.  The Apple iPad 3 features a striking new screen that is balanced with a quad-core processor.  It also has a 5 mega-pixel rear camera with a recording quality of 1080.
Apple iPhone 4s
 
This is a smartphone designed and developed by Apple Inc.  It’s currently in its 5th generation.  It merges high speed internet communicator, mobile phone and a 3.5″ touch screen.  Apple’s iPhone 4s features a lot of improved software updates and hardware enhancements compared to previous models.  Highlights in the overall functions of this gadget include voice talking, augmented camera system, PC independence and voice recognizing Siri.Highlights in the overall functions of this gadget include voice talking, augmented camerasystem, PC indesigned and developed by Apple Inc. It’s currently in its 5thgeneration. It merges high speed internet communicator, mobile phone and 3.5 touch screen iPod. Apple iPhone 4S features a lot of improved software updates and hardware enhancements compared to the previous model. Highlights in the overall functions of this gadget include voice talking, augmented camera system, PC independence and recognizing Siri.
Apple MacBook Air

This is one of the fastest portable laptops today.  It features Thunderbolt I/O por4t, back lit keyboard, 1.6 Hz Intel Core i5-2467M processor, 64GB drive, 2GB 1333MHz DDR3 RAM, OS x 10.7 Lion operating system and Intel HD 3000 graphics card.  It has a multi-touch track pad, which also recognizes handwritten Chinese characters.

Barnes & Noble Nook

This is a lightweight and small sized e-book reader that features rapid page turns, responsive touchscreen display, built-in Wi-Fi, expansion lot, 800 MHz Texas Instruments OMAP 3 processor and a battery charge that will last up to two months.  Furthermore, this device runs on the modified version of Android 2.1  it supports PDF, EPUB, and Adobe DRM and can also read PNG, JPEG, GIF and BMP files. 
HTC Sensation 4G
The HTC Sensation 4G runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system.  It features 1.2GHz dual core processore, 4.3″ high definition display and a 8-megapixel rear facing camera.  In addition, this gadget supports multimedia, conference calling, voice dialing, and text messaging.  Also included are Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.  Hence this could be a very good alternative for users looking for a mobile that supports high speed internet with no problems.

Kodak Playsport

When it comes to mini-camcorders one of the best is the Kodak Playsport.  It has an excellent sharing software, storage media for SD/SDHC memory cards, 2.0-inch LCD display, H.264 file format and is waterproof up to 10 feet!  Kodak Playsport also features a digital image stabilizer and can record up to 80 minutes for every 4GB data. 

The other four devices that belong in the top 10 must-have gadgets today are Logitech Harmony 650, Motorola Droid Razr, Roku 2 XS and Sonos Play 3.  All display high quality specifications and reliable functions.  Software programs installed are also spectactular.  To learn more about these eye-catching products, check out related data sources online or ask actual users, who can offer you practical ideas!

Guest Post Author – Daphne Jaymla:

Daphne writes on technology and enjoys spending time learning the latest information about high speed internet at Broadband Expert. If it has anything to do with high speed internet, Daphne is right there in the middle of it.