Making Secure Online Purchases

Encryption
Encryption works by translating your data into a secret code with a special key, when it reaches its destination it is then decrypted by your designated party.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
SSL is a protocol developed by Netscape that allows secure transactions between browsers and Web servers on the Internet. Both Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer support SSL.

How do you know you have entered a secure server?

Your web-browser will inform you whether you have actually entered a secure server. When you are at a non-secure page (like this one) notice on Netscape Navigator that the key in the lower left side of the window is broken.

To make sure you have entered a secure server web page:

1.

If you link to a secure server using Netscape, you will notice that the key is whole and you have a blue bar across the top of your browser. When you visit a secure server using MS Internet Explorer, you will notice the locked padlock at the lower right side of the window.

2.

Also notice the secure server URL begins with https:// instead of the usual http://. This tells you that you’re on a secure server. You can click the key to display information about the company’s secure server registration.

3.

Verify the site's secure server registration. Using Netscape, you can click on the key to display information about the company's secure server registration. Using MSIE, you can go to File, Properties, and click the Security tab to get more information on the site.

We wish you happy online shopping!