Whether you're a company taking orders online or an individual ordering online, security on the Internet is a topic that needs to be understood as fully as possible. We've tried to address the most often asked questions about security. If you don't find the answers to your questions here, or just want to talk to us, feel free to contact us or send an Email. When you host your web site at The Web Depot using the secure server, you're assured of state-of-the-art security with internet transactions. You wouldn't want to offer your customers anything less.

Contents:

• Is a credit card transaction on the Internet safe?
• I hear a lot about security on the Internet. Why?
• As a consumer, what's the worst thing that could happen?
• How do I know when a website is secure?

Is a credit card transaction on the Internet safe?
 
 

Simply put, yes. Sending a credit card on a secure website is safe. People wouldn't be doing business on the Web if it wasn't. If you plan to take orders online, you need to have a secure server. If you plan to order online, you need to make sure a website is secure. How do you find out if a website is secure? Click here to read more.

I hear a lot about security on the Internet. Why?
 
 

There are probably a couple reasons Internet security is a hot topic for discussion. It's new. Anything new is news-worthy. It's technology. Technology is interesting to discuss. People tend to be a little suspicious of new things and of technology. For people unfamiliar with the Internet, this can be rather disconcerting.

As a consumer, what's the worst thing that could happen?
 
 

Time spent replacing your card is, at best, a hassle. In most U.S. states, you are liable for up to $50 of losses from credit card theft. In those U.S. states, regardless of how someone gets your credit card information, the monetary loss is limited. Check with your credit card company if you have any questions.

How do I know when a website is secure?
 
 

When buying something on the Internet, you need to be sure the data you send is strongly encrypted. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), is the industry standard security protocol used to communicate with secure browsers like Netscape and Internet Explorer. When communicating with a secure server, these browsers encrypt the information you or your customer send in a way that is extremely difficult for anyone else to decode.

As a merchant on the internet, you need to be sure your site is hosted by a secure server. If you're going to take credit card numbers online, you need a secure server.

Here are some ways to determine that you're in a secure area. All SSL capable browsers have a symbol to indicate secure mode. Specifically:
 

Browser	Symbol Location	Normal (Insecure) mode Symbol	Secure Mode Symbol
Netscape 1.2, 2.0 and 3.0	Lower left	Broken Key	Complete Key
Netscape Communicator (4.0)	Lower left	Open Lock	Closed Lock
Microsoft Internet Explorer	Lower Right	NONE	Closed Lock

You can also tell when you're in a secure area because the URL to the left of the colon changes from 'http' to 'https' to signify that a SSL protocol is being used to communicate with the server. (http = HyperText Transport Protocol; https = HTTP with SSL.) In most browsers you'll also see a solid blue line in the upper portion of the browser's window ­ this is another way to let you know you're in a secure area.

Some browsers give you a warning when you go from a secure area to a regular area. The goal is to ensure that people know when they've left a secure server. It may look like you've done something wrong when you really haven't. Just be sure to read the text that accompanies the warning.

If you have any additional questions don't hesitate to contact us via Email or phone (573)881-8700.