Skip to content

簡單證書註冊協議 (SCEP)：它是什麼以及為什麼網絡工程師應該關心它

There are several factors to consider when distributing certificates to managed devices, making it a massive undertaking. These include public key infrastructure (PKI), integration, gateway setup, configuration settings, certificate enrollment, device authentication, and more. 

Thanks to the Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP), administrators can quickly and easily enroll all managed devices for client certificates without any action from the end-user.

Here we will discuss what exactly the Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) is and why network engineers should care about it. 

What Is The Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP)?

Digital certificate issuance in big enterprises is simplified, secured, and scalable with an open-source protocol called Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP).

SCEP servers utilize this protocol to give users a one-time password (OTP) through an asynchronous, out-of-band mechanism (OOB). After creating a key pair, the user submits the OTP and certificate signing request to the SCEP server for verification and signature. As soon as the certificate is ready, the user may request it from the SCEP server and then install it.

Digital certificate issuing was labor-intensive until the advent of SCEP and related protocols like Certificate Management Protocol and Certificate Management via CMS. SCEP is widely used in big organizations since it is supported by products from major vendors like Microsoft and Cisco.

After its creators left SCEP inactive in 2010, the project was dormant until it was revitalized in 2015. Apart from that, it is presently a draft that anybody may see as part of the work of the open-source community – the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

Why Should Network Engineers Care About SCEP?

The public key infrastructure provides the most secure and user-friendly authentication and symmetric encryption solution for digital identities. Yet, the ambiguity and scale of certificate deployment for most businesses can challenge their already overworked network engineers.  

Manual deploying and maintaining certificates is tedious and error-prone. Whether an organization delivers a single certificate for a Wi-Fi router or holds several certifications across all networked devices and user identities, the whole process may take up to several hours. It leaves companies vulnerable to breaches, Man-in-the-Middle (MITM), and other forms of network disruption.

Certificates managed manually are more likely to be lost, overlooked, or expire without being replaced, putting businesses at high risk. Therefore, enterprises need the automated and well-organized certificate enrollment standard – the Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) – due to the many risks associated with administering PKI certificates manually.

The significant benefits of the Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) include:

  • Hassle-free certificate issuing.
  • Ensuring that certificates are correctly issued and configured across various devices.
  • A fully automated procedure for the issuance of certificates. As a consequence of this, it involves very little to no human participation.
  • A protocol that saves time, lowers operating expenses, and boosts productivity by enabling network engineers to concentrate on other duties rather than doing those chores themselves.

SCEP is a flexible solution that can meet all your network management requirements since it is compatible with most devices and server operating systems. These include Windows, Apple iOS, macOS, and Linux, as well as directory systems such as Active Directory.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Portnox
Portnox provides simple-to-deploy, operate and maintain network access control, security and visibility solutions. Portnox software can be deployed on-premises, as a cloud-delivered service, or in hybrid mode. It is agentless and vendor-agnostic, allowing organizations to maximize their existing network and cybersecurity investments. Hundreds of enterprises around the world rely on Portnox for network visibility, cybersecurity policy enforcement and regulatory compliance. The company has been recognized for its innovations by Info Security Products Guide, Cyber Security Excellence Awards, IoT Innovator Awards, Computing Security Awards, Best of Interop ITX and Cyber Defense Magazine. Portnox has offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia. For information visit http://www.portnox.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.。

“當談到勒索軟件攻擊時，這只是時間問題，而不是是否。”

Ransomware attacks are on the rise — in the first half of 2021, the average amount paid by organizations to perpetrators of was $570,000, an increase of 171% over the previous year. (1)

Last year also saw a 93% increase in the overall number of ransomware attacks (2) – a trend that is only likely to continue. While such attacks were once limited to outlandish movie plots, they’ve become an all-too-real problem for organizations of all sizes. In fact, when it comes to ransomware attacks, it’s more likely to be a question of when, not if.

Our concern at Keepit is that the regularity of ransomware attacks may lead to them eventually being dismissed as just a cost of doing business. But by choosing to pay the ransoms demanded, companies are powering a vicious cycle where the proceeds fuel increased cybercrime. (And paying a ransom does not guarantee getting your data back, as documented in the report ‘The Long Road Ahead to Ransomware Preparedness’ from ESG)

It’s vital for the sake of commerce – and for society – that companies, governments, and law enforcement agencies come together to find long-term solutions to ransomware attacks.

In the short-term, we encourage companies to invest in a third-party backup and recovery service to minimize the threat posed by encrypted malware. The more secure your data is—and the quicker you’re able to recover it—the less worried you need to be about ransomware attacks.

At best, an attack won’t affect business continuity – it’ll just be a nuisance rather than a crisis. If you know your data is safe, you don’t have to pay the bad guys’ ransom. Problem solved.

Summing Up 

The disruptive power of ransomware attacks in 2022

An increasingly common threat, ransomware attacks are forecast to cost victims around $265 billion annually by 2031. (3) With conventional data recovery times often taking weeks or even months, the disruption to companies can be catastrophic in terms of financial costs to your business. But the damage goes beyond the bottom line. Additional impacts of ransomware attacks in 2022 are likely to include:

  • Intellectual property cost – temporary or permanent loss of sensitive or proprietary information can be enormously damaging. 
  • Business continuity – disruption is frustrating and costly as companies struggle to restore data and operations 
  • Reputational cost – a ransomware attack can damage customer perception of the company and impact digital trust. 

Why Keepit is the answer

Keepit backs up to an independent cloud, separate from your SaaS vendor’s environment, which means your data can be accessed completely independent from SaaS application availability. True backup—immutable and tamperproof on a separate logical infrastructure — is your answer to ransomware attacks. 

 

For more details about Keepit’s dedicated SaaS data protection, read about our security on our website 

References

  1. Research from Palo Alto suggests the average ransom in the first half of 2021 is $570,000 USD, an increase of 171% over the year prior; see Average Ransomware Payment Hits $570,000 in H1 2021 [Dark Reading] 
  2. Research from Check Point reports that ransomware incidents increased 93% year over year; see Ransomware attacks increase dramatically during 2021 [Computer Weekly] 
  3. https://cybersecurityventures.com/global-ransomware-damage-costs-predicted-to-reach-250-billion-usd-by-2031/

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.