The security of the data, especially personal data such as passwords, credit card details, medical records, etc... is on everyone's mind when interacting on the Internet. These few tips may help you mitigate the risks associated with data loss.

The Internet is a hugely useful tool, it provides access to an almost limitless amount of information, allowing people to communicate, shop, bank and operate businesses. However, is all of the information transmitted over the internet secure?

  

To help mitigate the risks associated with data loss, there are a few things you can check when surfing the Internet to help keep your data safe:

 

1. Check the URL / address of the webpage. If it starts with "https://" and there is an icon of a lock (see image), then you know the information sent via the site (i.e. order/payment forms) is being encrypted.
2. Check that the domain name (main page of the site i.e. www.Murdoch.edu.au) matches the page you want to view. If it does not, you may be moving onto a separate site, which is not covered by the same data encryption.

 

Some Technical Bits

The encryption on sites with "https://" is referred to as SSL Certificate (SSL) encryption. Typically, SSL is used to secure credit card transactions, data transfer and logins, and more recently is becoming the norm when securing browsing of social media sites.

SSL is a small data file that adds a cryptographic key to an organisation’s details on their websites webserver. When active is creates a padlocked connection between the web server and the individuals internet browser. Any information transmitted in that connection, that is then secured by encryption.

 

For more information click here : Murdoch IT Security Knowledge Base