Internet Security

Web site security is becoming more and more of a concern with the tremendous increase in Internet use. There are three areas of the Internet that pose security concerns. Below is an outline of these basic web site concerns and how to address each.

Data stored on your web site's server

Stored data, such as customer files, needs to placed in a non public section of your site. This will prevent data directories from being accessed by use of a web browser.

Data that is submitted to and accessed from your site

The concern here is the interception of data in transit. In order to prevent interception of readable data, the data can be encrypted using the SSL feature of the leading web browsers. In order to utilize encryption, a secure certificate has to be purchased and installed. This will enable your web site to encrypt data before being downloaded by a user and then unencrypted by the user’s browser. Information submitted to a secure site is encrypted by the user’s browser and then unencrypted once received by the server. 

Just because a webpage claims to be secure doesn't make it so.  Before entering information such as credit card information or your date of birth or social security number, verify that the webpage is in fact encrypted by looking for the lock symbol located on or around the address bar.  If it is not there the page is not encrypted.  See the examples at the right.

Data that is transmitted via e-mail

Information sent via email is not secure.  If intercepted the information can be decoded and read by any one using simple programs usually referred to as packet sniffers.

Email can be encrypted using PGP.  A free program that can be downloaded and installed.  To use this program both the sender and recipient must have the program installed and set up.  For more information concerning the use of PGP click here.

This is a basic overview of issues that should be addressed when contemplating conducting business utilizing the Internet. Information such as credit card numbers, billing information, personnel records or any sensitive data should only be submitted to sites using a secure server.