SSLCop

Certificate Authorities or Digital Certificates are small data files that feature website credentials that enable users, computers, devices and other sites to verify and confirm their identity. Since nothing is completely safe when it comes to the online environment, the recent incidents have shown that SSL certificates can also be compromised.

SSLCop is a tiny piece of software that enables you to disable certificates that you do not really need and hence, reduce the chances of malware infections or other security-related issues.

Since it is a portable application, the setup entails a simple matter of decompressing the archive to the desired location on your hard disk. Upon launch, you are welcomed by a rugged, yet pretty clear and intuitive interface that features a list of the countries that you can block CAs from.

The list of location that you can block certificates is also displayed with the flag, an option that can help you identify a shady geographic area slightly faster. Once you select the countries you want to prohibit the CAs from, you can hit Block and you are done.

The idea behind the program is to diminish the chances of malware infection, phishing and other nightmarish scenarios by providing you with a simple solution to avoid compromised certificate authorities. A healthy principle would be that you should trust only a few certificates that are well-known in your country or issued by reputable authorities.

On a side note, while you can block certificate authorities from over 45 locations, it would have been nice if the application enabled you to undo the action. This feature would be particularly handy for users who are traveling.

In case you put a lot of value on safely browsing the Internet and want to avoid entirely unpleasant situations in which a hacker gets access to your bank accounts, emails or other encrypted connection you are using, then SSLCop can help you disable the CA from areas you do not really need.