Jan
29
2009

How Encryption can Prevent Online Identity Theft?

How Encryption can Prevent Online Identity Theft?

Encryption utilizes digital keys to encrypt and decrypt data while it’s being sent over the Internet, which makes it incredibly hard for anyone but the intended receiver to tamper or see. Through encryption, a key on the transmitting end locks data, and the key on the receiving end unlocks it. While the information in en route, good encryption technique makes it virtually impracticable for outsiders to peep or meddle with the information -in your case, your financial and personal data. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard technology of information security on the Internet. Secure Sockets Layer uses digital certificates to confirm that the two computers in an information transaction are valid before exchanging the encryption keys. Before you use the credit card to buy merchandise online – in fact, before you type any of your personal data online -you want to be certain the site uses 128-bit SSL to keep your personal data secure. Checking this is simple – in the bottom-right corner of the browser, just look for the lock icon. If you put the mouse pointer over the icon, you may even see a popup that says SSL 128. If you double click the icon, you see information, which tells you that the site’s status is authentic and the data traffic is encrypted.

Encryption can also be employed to protect e-mail messages as well as personal information files that you store on your personal computer. The encryption software known as Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) enables you to encrypt this important data yourself. PGP offers a freeware version (free software) for home use.

VeriSign uses another method to know that the site you are visiting is trustworthy. You’re most likely find the VeriSign icon on the site’s security and privacy page. If you click the VeriSign icon, you get a window that tells you what security steps that site is using within VeriSign. Because familiar logos and names like VeriSign give people confidence, of course, online fraudsters try to use them in unscrupulous techniques. Savvy identity thieves can build a site, imitate a logo, or create their own certificates. Use SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and the VeriSign digital logo and certificates as indicators to make sure the web site you’re visiting really the organization or company it claims to be.

Written by Avoid-Fraud.com in: Identity Fraud | Tags: ,

2 Comments »

  • Eliza M says:

    SSL is fairly straight-forward ‘standard’ technology and the larger hosting services offer their own certs. Or provide the capability of plugging in a 3rd party cert.

    Leaning to the side of caution I prefer sites that use an extended validation cert (EV SSL, which requires more checking up on the retail/financial company, and gives the site that green url bar, additional security meaning additional trust and peace of mind when I am sharing my personal information.

  • Brian says:

    As part of our research I read your article with interest.

    ID Fraud Prevention starts at home.

    Withour a doubt encryption is most important in helping in this area, but it still leaves access to often via weak passwords.

    Even strong difficult to remember passwords will not help unless they are used.

    We at OEM Partnership take ID Theft & Fraud seriously and have developed a software program that hides your sensitive data and enables access to it via a Picture of your choice.

    No more Usernames and passwords to remember.

    If you feel your passpicture has been compromised, simply change it !

    Check out the free trial at

    http://www.picturepin.co.uk

    Thanks

    Brian

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL


Leave a Reply

Turn on pictures to see the captcha *

Donate to
Avoid-Fraud.com


Subscribe to
Avoid-Fraud.com
by Email




Theme: TheBuckmaker.
Privacy Policy | Disclaimer