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Breakthrough in Users’ Data Security. Protection Mechanism

10.02.2016 Защита пользовательских данных

Data processing technologies for their short life have succeeded to enter the life of ordinary people and become a must-have instrument of business, including correspondence, and control over major processes of daily activities of mankind. 
At the end of last century only a tight circle of specialists was informed about computers’ existence due to partial or full automation of production processes. Boom of computer equipment development has begun rather recently with mass distribution of the Internet. Worldwide web, which covered with its invisible nets the entire world surface, provides unprecedented possibilities for development; however, it confronts a modern man with necessity to solve problems which become more and more important day by day.
Internet has turned into a huge advertising market that brings enormous income for owners and service providers. More and more people intend to make the world web a main or additional source of income. With increase of money flow volumes controlled by online-services, there are numerous frauds pretending to get a large piece of a pie by appropriating impressive amounts in illegal way.
A problem of users’ data security on the Internet became one of the major present-day challenges. Despite continuous improvement of protection mechanisms, rather often individuals and organizations incur significant losses due to hacking activities.
Development and implementation of a secure protection system is life-important for leaders in sectors of online trade and remote money transfer systems in the advertising market. Russian developers of information security tools realized the importance of the problem and cooperate extensively with organizations in this sector worldwide.
Development of a modern system of two-factor authentication (TFA) is a rather complex process. It is necessary to work out a new standard adjusted to national peculiarities and recent market trends.
At the beginning the world web wasn’t that complicated formation. A standard form of protection by means of login and non-sophisticated password was sufficient for ordinary users. In short time Internet has turned into a global storage of valuable information, so shifty people began hunting other people’s savings through hacking users’ data.
Security systems for currency transactions and data transfer improve continuously; however, security of users’ profiles is still in the entry level of development. In the meantime, loss of access to an account might deliver undesired complications.
Users’ data thefts increase year by year. Hackers are equally interested in profiles of prosperous people and people with not-that-high income. It is necessary to begin development of effective protection mechanisms straight off.
A famous expert Alexey Sabanov, AP at Bauman Moscow State Technical University (and one of the managers at Alladin RD) believes that information has become an ordinary purchase-sale object on the Internet; thus, it is impossible to succeed without coordination of development process of effective security mechanisms.
Periodic scandals related to mass hacking of users’ accounts happen more and more often. Intensity and scale of hacking attacks especially increased in last couple of years. Several examples of massive stealing users’ data during the above mentioned period we can specify below.
September 2014 is stored in memory as boom of hacking activities. Theft of information concerning 5 million Gmail users put into flutter the world of IT specialists. The second incident took place soon after the first one — ID data of 1 million Yandex users were stolen.
Mail.ru service didn’t avoid the fate as well. In September 2014 4.6 million users’ passwords were stolen.
In October mysterious “well-wishers” succeeded to block 200,000 registration entries of one of the most popular Russian social network Vkontakte.
After rather long quiet period, unpleasant incidents appeared again in May 2015. Next victim of hacking attacks  was service of anonymous opinions Sprashivai.ru, which lost data of 6.7 million users. In August, information about 32 million users of a dating website was stolen and published online.
October brought unexpected surprise for T-mobile Company: 15 million clients of this mobile operator became victims of a hacking attack.
As you see, the scale of theft is impressive. Surprisingly, one and the same person might become a victim several times. Limitation of profile’s audience and complex password do not guarantee security of an account.
Social networks designed as a communication tool, have overgrown and become a constituent part of a personal image. Loss of access to a personal account may lead up to disemployment and family problems. It is becoming increasingly commonplace for using stolen data to blackmail a victim.
An international system FIDO Alliance coordinates activities targeted at solution of a users’ data security problem. The organization includes large international banks, money transfer systems, world-renowned brands of online-trade and engineering companies.
Intense development of security technology and protection mechanisms of 2-factor authentication (universal 2nd factor, U2F) is nearing completion. In the nearest future the virtual world will get a system capable of manifold strengthening security of users’ data. Besides passwords, a system of U2F tokens will be implemented. Google, Dropbox and GitHub users can test innovations right now. Google Chrome users can activate authentication option with use of U2F technology in browser’s settings.
Plugging a token into a USB-port and activating it by pressing a key, a user completes easy registration process. Complex cryptographic algorithms ensure high-grade security of user’s data.
Of special note is versatility of this unique technology. A token is compatible with various OS with no need in drivers.
The flagship distributor of the innovative project in Russia is Alladin RD Company, which was fully engaged in researches conducted by FIDO Alliance. The organization launched wide-ranging activities on development of a version adapted to the domestic market. The production of tokens under JaCarta brand has been launched.
Western vendors appreciated the true value of production and great potentials of the local market. Production will be sold in neighbor countries as well (CIS countries; East Europe, Baltic and Scandinavian countries).
Tokens and ready-made solutions are extensively promoted in the market. Very soon the U2F technology will be integrated into existing PKI-based systems of electronic signature and become a constituent part of state regulatory institutions.