Protecting Your Informations

The Startcom respects the privacy of its Internet users and will protect that privacy as vigorously as possible. Make sure that you protect your password by memorizing it and not revealing it to anyone. Always choose unique passwords that include both letters and numbers and don't alternate between passwords. Do not choose passwords that are obvious like names, birthdays or telephone numbers that might be easy for others to figure out.

Change your password: it is important to change your password from time to time.
Clear your browser's cache: most browsers cache images or files that you have viewed and store them locally to improve performance.
It is important to clear your browser's cache after on-line transaction sessions to avoid someone being able to view your transaction information later. Some browsers have an option to not cache encrypted sessions.

Remember to log out: it is important to properly log out after an on-line transaction session.

Encription

Encryption is the process of scrambling data into an unreadable format that is more secure for transmission over the Internet. Very similar to secret code, encryption takes your data and uses complex mathematical equations called algorithms to scramble the information into an unreadable format called ciphertext. The ciphertext is impossible to read without having a key to unscramble the information to its original form.

Information is scrambled or encrypted at the client side (your browser) and then unscrambled or decrypted at the server side. The two most common levels of encryption are 40-bit and 128-bit and they have both been implemented commercially on popular browsers like Microsoft Internet ExplorerTM1 and Netscape NavigatorTM2.

There are currently two levels of encryption available in today's popular web browsers: 40-bit encryption and 128-bit encryption. Although most browsers support 40-bit encryption, the 128-bit browsers provide the highest level of security available in North America today.

How Secure is Your Browser

Alternatively, you can manually check the encryption level your browser supports by following the instructions below.
If you are using Netscape Navigator or CommunicatorTM2 version 4.x click on in the bottom left corner of the screen to display the Security Info dialogue box. Select "Navigator" from the side menu and then click on the Configure SSL v2 button under Advanced Security (SSL) Configuration. If the dialog box displayed contains a 128-bit cipher, you are using the 128-bit version of Netscape software. If the dialog box contains a 40-bit cipher, you are using a 40-bit version of Netscape software. Click on the Cancel button to close the dialog box.
If you are using Microsoft Internet ExplorerTM1 version 4.x double click on the while on a secure page to display the Properties dialogue box. Select Encryption type from the field box to display the encryption level that your browser supports.
For Netscape Navigator versions 4.x an encrypted session will be indicated in the bottom left corner of the browser. Netscape will not display the during unencrypted sessions.
If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer an encrypted on-line transaction session will be indicated in the bottom right hand corner of the browser. Microsoft will not display a during an unencrypted session.

To clear your browser's cache:

Netscape Navigator 4.x users

1. Select "Preferences" from the "Edit" menu.
2. Double-click on the "Advanced" Category until the Cache, Proxies, and Disk Space sub-categories are displayed.
3. Click on the "Cache" sub-category.
4. Click on the "Clear Memory Cache" and then click on "OK" to remove all the files currently in your memory cache.
5. Click on the "Clear Disk Cache" button and then click on "OK" to remove all the files currently in your disk cache.
6. Click on "OK" to return to your browser.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.x users

1. Select "Internet Options" under the "View" menu.
2. Click on the "General" tab.
3. Click on the "Delete Files" button in the "Temporary Internet Files" section.
4. Click on "OK" to return to your browser.

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