Encryption as a cornerstone of digitalisation

We had the opportunity to speak with Managing Director Patrycja Schrenk of PSW GROUP at CloudFest 2023 about the importance of encryption. We also discuss the history of website encryption and the future of the SSL market.

Hello Patrycja, could you briefly introduce to our readers what PSW does and what your main business is?

PSW GROUP is a German company specialising in IT security solutions and training. The company was founded in 2000 by Christian Heutger and is headquartered in Fulda. PSW GROUP's services include, among others, SSL certificates, email certificates, anti-spam and anti-virus solutions, and cloud storage and backup services. PSW GROUP focuses particularly on the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises and offers solutions tailored to the specific needs and requirements of customers. In addition, training on IT security topics and consultancy are offered.

Looking at the SSL certificate market over the past 10 years, what has changed for you?

At PSW we have observed that the SSL certificate market has grown steadily over the past 10 years. Especially since 2016, when Google announced that websites with SSL encryption receive a ranking boost, we have seen strong growth. More and more websites and companies are adopting HTTPS encryption to ensure the security of their users' data and to gain their customers' trust. At the same time, the technology around SSL certificates has developed further with new standards.

Since 2015 there has been the free alternative for SSL certificates, Let's Encrypt. What is your view on this development?

The introduction of Let's Encrypt has made SSL certificates available free of charge. That is initially positive. However, the use of Let's Encrypt certificates also has drawbacks. The biggest disadvantage when using a Let's Encrypt certificate is compatibility with older browsers and systems. Let's Encrypt certificates are only offered at the lowest validation level, 'domain validation', which can more easily be exploited for phishing. Furthermore, there is now a limitation on the number of Let's Encrypt certificates that can be issued. In addition, I wonder whether the service might at some point be further restricted and possibly offered as a paid premium service.

Can you tell us a little more about Certificate Authorities (CAs)?

A Certificate Authority (CA) is an organisation that issues digital certificates that verify the authenticity of identities, organisations, websites and devices on the Internet. The certificates contain information about the certificate holder, as well as the name of the CA that issued the certificate. The CA verifies the identity of the certificate holder and confirms the accuracy of the information contained in the certificate.

Why is Organisation Validation of an SSL certificate so important, for example for online shops?

Organisation Validation (OV) is a category of SSL certificates that provides a higher level of identity validation than Domain Validation (DV). With OV, CAs must ensure that the identity of the certificate holder actually corresponds to the organisation applying for the certificate. This is done by verifying company documents such as commercial register extracts and other legal documents.

OV is important for online shops because it gives customers a greater degree of confidence in the authenticity of the shop and the protection of their sensitive data. The highest validation level is provided by Extended Validation (EV) certificates. These SSL certificates were once mainly used by banks. Today EV certificates are increasingly seen on online shops and corporate websites. The green address bar made it easy for website visitors to see the identity of the site owner. This is, unfortunately, no longer the case.

Digital signatures have been a trend for several years. Could you also present your solution for this?

The PSW GROUP offers digital signatures for a variety of use cases.

With digital signatures, documents such as invoices or contracts can be signed digitally, allowing signatures on paper documents to be replaced in private or business processes. The signatures are certified in accordance with the requirements of the eIDAS Regulation and meet the strict standards for identity validation. We have seen strong growth in this area in recent years, as it greatly simplifies procurement and contracting processes.

There are numerous CAs issuing different certificates — comparisons can be difficult to make. What do you recommend companies consider when choosing the right certificate?

I recommend companies contact our support team. Based on their individual requirements, our staff will assist them in selecting the right product.

Many thanks for your time and enjoy your time in Rust!

The interview was conducted by Marco Keul, founder of hosttest, during CloudFest 2023 at Europa-Park in Rust.

Photo: Patrycja Schrenk during the interview