"I see a time where there might be a Good Housekeepingstyle seal of approval for the security of sites," says Devost. "There are organizations that do that now for privacy. Why not for security?"
Oh, and another thing. If you're a Web site manager, don't make the mistake of challenging a hacker. I told Eran Reshef about the news site's suggestion that Perfecto's business model was nothing more than a snake-oil pitch. Within 30 minutes, Reshef told me, Perfecto had gained access to the source code on the news site's server. He added, "That means I can do pretty much anything, including shut down the site."
But since Reshef is a Boy Scout, the Web site in question managed to escape unscathed--this time. But if I had a Web-based business--or any plans to open one--I'd be thinking very seriously about hiring a bodyguard.