Sites certified as secure often more vulnerable to hacking, scientists find

Seals certifying the security of e-commerce sites and other online destinations have long aroused suspicions that they're not worth the bits they're made of -- much less the hundreds or thousands of dollars they cost in yearly fees. Now, computer scientists have presented evidence that not only supports those doubts but also shows how such seals can in many cases make sites more vulnerable to hacks. A recently published academic paper discovered an almost universal lack of thoroughness among the 10 seal providers studied.