Although .secure is still in the early development stages, news of more funding for the project is a sign that this unique domain service may become a reality in the near future. The research team spearheading this venture recently acquired $9 million to develop a domain security service in which subscribers (mainly financial institutions, hospitals, and businesses) are able to safely conduct sensitive business over the Internet, without the fear of malware or other hacking attempts. Think of it as a home security system for your website; the system is not required by law but for those that want more protection, the home security system is an option.
To become a subscriber, one first needs a background check and must conform to strict requirements that are to be set by the developers (including copyrights and trademarks of products and website content). Once approved, special hardware is needed to register and subscribers must agree to several Internet security practices. The .secure domain would not only be constantly monitored but any attack would be investigated and legal penalties would be enforced.
The .secure domain is designed to provide protection for people and businesses that are frequently targeted by hackers, without policing the entire Internet. The added protection of a .secure website would be a great business tool, considering millions of dollars are lost to Internet fraud every year.
Written by: Simon D. Rubin