Xavier Buck (EuroDNS): The return of encryption

Xavier Buck, an all-out ict entrepreneur, shares his views on cyber security and the return of encryption within cloud computing.

What are the main risks which cloud system administrators should be aware of?

The growing variety of devices used, the different versions of operating systems used by the users to access networks and clouds all increase the points of access for hackers and vulnerability to cyber attacks. The administrator must therefore step up his or her efforts to protect the entire system. To protect themselves,  companies must increase their network capacity and filter good and bad requests. A game of cat-and-mouse is developing between administrators and hackers: it’s a race to update systems and constantly learn. Providers must draw up a realistic assessment of the risks and act accordingly, a process which is extremely complex. Within a company,employees’ lack of knowledge when it comes to security is the main reason behind malware being installed, particularly via USB sticks and infected emails. The best defense is to provide training for employees to make them aware of the risks.

« We identify the perpetrators behind cyber attacks»

How do your different companies - EuroDNS, Domain Tools - develop to maintain the highest levels of security, both for the companies themselves and their users?

EuroDNS offers SSL certification by default for each domain name. This offers encryption between the site and the user in HTTPS format and guarantees minimal vulnerability for both parties. The nature of our business - managing domains - makes EuroDNS a constant target. Most of the attacks we see are DDoS: distributed denial of service. Their objective is to overload providers’ servers and networks, leaving them offline. Our ANYCAST infrastructure enables us to absorb such attacks by balancing this huge traffic throughout dozens of servers that are distributed throughout the world. Domain Tools, which is a threat intelligence cyber security company, is used by the 500 biggest companies and law enforcement agencies around the world. The added value of our business lies in the data relating to domain names. We identify the perpetrators behind cyber attacks, link other IP addresses to their activity and collect data on hackers. This data helps our clients to protect themselves as a result and helps the authorities with their investigations.

What about Mega, which is a special case?

Cyber security risks have emphasized the importance of encryption between cloud services and users. Considering this factor is a complex issue. Mega is the first service to simplify this process for the final user in terms of cloud storage and sharing with other users. The company’s success stems from these two aims.