Symantec challenges online retailers to keep customer data safe this year

Symantec has challenged online retailers to make this year’s holiday shopping season the safest on record.

The leading cyber security company has released an enhanced version of its best-in-class encryption tool, Symantec SSL Assistant Plus, just in time to help those who manage e-commerce sites to encrypt and keep their customer data safe when it comes to the Christmas shopping rush.

In 2014, the Heartbleed vulnerability left half a million websites at risk, and this put the spotlight on the importance of strong SSL / TLS encryption. Internet sites for banking, healthcare, government, education, social media – and particularly online retailers – rely heavily on SSL encryption to help protect their sensitive information, ensure a secure link for financial transactions and keep their customer data safe. With the introduction of SSL Assistant Plus, Symantec has effectively simplified the experience of setting up encryption and delivering this security in an easy way.

“When it comes to SSL encryption, you get what you pay for,” explains Quentin Liu, Vice President of Engineering at Symantec. “With Symantec SSL Assistant Plus, we’re delivering extreme value over free, basic SSL options by hiding complexity and helping to ensure that websites are properly secured.

“In addition, we make the entire process as simple and intuitive as installing an app on a phone. SSL Assistant Plus is also backed by our world-class technical support organisation and offers peace of mind because it’s created by security experts. Our goal is to create a safer web as less than one percent of online sites today are encrypted and use certificates.”

Symantec SSL Assistant Plus reduces the time needed to set up encryption to just minutes by removing arduous steps that require technical experience. The entire configuration process is automated, giving customers the assurance that comes from knowing configuration of their servers is secure and vulnerability free.

A study from the US found that 91% of respondents would abandon an online transaction if they received a warning about the absence of a secure connection (Symantec Online Consumer Study, 2013). Furthermore, securing a site and using the Norton Secured seal resulted in a 27% increase in a shopper’s likelihood of completing an online purchase (Symantec Internal Study, 2015).

With Symantec’s SSL Assistant Plus, the four most common browser warnings will become a thing of the past. By using a secure connection, e-commerce sites can reduce the types of browser warnings that scare online shoppers away from their sites. SSL encryption assures consumers that their information is safe by showing a lock icon in the address bar.

In addition, Symantec supports simple installation and use of all certificate types. Symantec SSL Assistant Plus enables website owners to use Domain Validation (DV) certificates, as well Organisation Validation (OV) and Extended Validation (EV) certificates, which verify the real organisation or business behind a website. When websites use EV certificates in conjunction with SSL, online shoppers will see the address bar turn green and include the site owner’s name. This allows businesses of all sizes across the globe the same power to protect themselves and their customers as even the largest retailers.

For more information about Symantec’s SSL Assistant Plus, contact your SCC account manager, call 0121 281 8618 or e-mail [email protected].