It isn’t a surprise that in the interconnected world we live in, security is a big concern. For all of the security solutions out there, all of the competitive language, a number of questions remain. What is security? What makes a successful security product?

The answer is trust. Security is trust, and trust is based on a feeling that comes in a moment.

How does security company A convince client company B that they need said product, at the said price?

Every transaction has a moment where trust is secured and the decision that is made becomes the right decision for all involved.

Consumers act much the same way as companies do, they have things to protect. Trust must be earned, and it can’t be a total digital statistics proposition.

Failures in the Mist

Every time we turn on the television or check the news on the web, it seems there is some kind of breach being reported that affects millions and tens of millions of people. Computer fraud schemes are becoming more sophisticated and effective with each passing day. Online crime seems to have reached epic proportions.

In the aftermath of these ongoing breaches, trusted brands see severe effects on business. Such events can easily result in lost revenue due to this consumer distrust and ongoing security concerns. Throw payment transactions into the mix, and the problem is more pronounced than ever as the stakes are higher and financial info is an obvious target. Meanwhile, consumers are becoming increasingly aware that there is a major problem. A recent study commissioned by Citrix Systems, Inc. said that 84 percent of respondents felt their data is even less secure this year than it was last year. Sixty-nine percent felt their personal data would eventually be stolen. It’s a dire picture to say the least.

Now, if you put yourself in the position of the average visitor to a site that wants your business, you would be looking out for signs that the business is secure. It’s just human nature and common sense. At this point, it’s a matter of what things people are looking for that make all the difference.

Security and Trust

Trust is a concept that is at the root of all internet transactions, and in very tangible ways, it is a concept that boils down to an emotional acceptance for the end user. The internet runs at a blinding pace, decisions are made quickly, and trust can be lost in moments. Security and identity are critical to these chains of events.

For example, I was recently behind the launch of BlackCert, Inc, a company which provides SSL digital certificate products. Validating information, especially with Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificates, means that extra scrutiny has been performed on behalf of the user. Certificates are presented front and center before consumers and they evoke trust and security. I am happy to say that future solutions are on the horizon as the need for assurance grows in our increasingly digital lives.

If you’ve ever wondered if applications you put on your smartphone are secure, you’re not alone. When people load an application from an app store, most expect that it has already been validated, and is secure. A choice is made to install or not, whether the outcome is good or bad.

Consumers buy goods every day, both online and in physical locations. So when consumers swipe their credit cards at a retail location, they trust that not only is it convenient, the terminals have been secured. In many cases, they have been secured, but there’s always a variable, and as history tells us, there is always a way in.

When consumers buy a house, they get assurance from inspectors and contractors that the home is safe. Individuals do not typically inspect a home for themselves, as they put faith in the expertise of others.

In each of these scenarios it is clear that security, or the perception of it, appears in moments. Individuals value certain indicators of security, which can sometimes appear as an assumption. Whether people trust a name, a technology, a site, an invisible IT staff at a store, or whomever, this pattern emerges throughout.

America: The future is trust, security, and emotion

Security and emotion are inseparable, which follow moments of trust. This human element to security dictates that technology can only augment what we perceive to be secured. It is the people that choose what is secure, which means some things can be changed through choice.

This very same relationship is what will help us become a stronger nation. We have lost faith in our leaders and in our government. Not only are they dysfunctional, but they spy on us. They fail us in every regard when it comes to security, cybersecurity, privacy, spending, the economy and the list goes on.

There are many ways to address this, and countless opinions. I am of the opinion that once the ‘brand’ of the American government can be trusted again, security can be had. That is done with honesty, which I have shown throughout my life and presidential campaign. That is done through leadership, which I have shown for many years. That is done through the knowledge of the technology that surrounds. I am the best candidate for this country and I am prepared to lead the way. Please support my campaign so that trust and security can be reinstituted for all the people, to serve the people.

Photo credit: Do not open this dataset via photopin (license)