SSL

What is SSL

SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is a connection that requires all information sent between a client and a server to be encrypted by the sending software and decrypted by the receiving software. This provides a high degree of confidentiality for both parties to any private transaction. In addition, all data sent over an encrypted SSL connection is protected with a mechanism for detecting tampering--that is, for automatically determining whether the data has been altered in transit.

Why should we use SSL

If you check your grades online, if you register online, if you use a credit card online, you want to keep your Username and Password secret. Utilizing SSL they will remain so, and no one will be able to capture (or 'sniff') them from the network, thus your identity will remain secure.

I check my email everyday, as well as do my eTimecard online, and I also check my grades and schedules. That is a lot of information that I don't want to give out! How can I use SSL to secure these transactions?
The answer is simple: SSL is essentially done for you. Anytime you go to a secure page (i.e. any company page that uses credit cards or sensitive information) a closed lock appears on your web browser

...That means you are connected securely. Dont worry, eTimecards and Grades by default use SSL. However, if you would like to check your email securely, visit https://mail.sandiego.edu/ . Notice the "S" at the end of httpS. That means that you are connecting to a Secure website!

What is a digital Certificate? (Taken from Microsoft)
"The digital certificate is a common credential that provides a means to verify identity. A certificate is a set of data that identifies an entity. A trusted organization assigns a certificate to an individual or an entity that associates a public key with the individual. The individual or entity to which a certificate is issued is called the subject of that certificate. The trusted organization that issues the certificate is a Certification Authority (CA) and is known as the certificate's issuer. A trustworthy CA will only issue a certificate after verifying the identity of the certificate's subject.

Using digital certificates can protect your security when dealing with personal or financial transactions on the Internet because they bind the identity of the certificate owner to a pair (public and private) of electronic keys that can be used to encrypt and sign information digitally. These electronic credentials assure that the keys actually belong to the person or organization specified. Protecting your privacy and security is especially important in Internet Explorer."

When I go to a secure page, an error message comes up, I don't know what to press or do?
The first time that you hit an unfamiliar site with an unfamiliar certificate, your browser will let you know , and ask for your permission to continue transfering information to the site. The "error messages" are listed below with their corresponding systems and browsers. All of them ask if you would like to continue to a secure connection but says that there is a problem with the sites certificate that you are trying to view. The error messages for the corresponding browsers are listed below, don't worry if yours isn't on there, it is probably something similar, if you have a question about a particular browser, email us at studentcomputing@sandiego.edu. The reason the "error" message is displayed is because the University of San Diego created the Digital Certificate (read above) and not companies such as Verisign, or Microsoft, or anyone else who pays enough money to have commercial browsers released with their Digital Certificates included.

Internet Explorer 5.1 (OS 9) - Does not make a secure connection!
Netscape Communicator (OS 9)
Mozilla (OS 9)
Netscape 7.0 (OS 9)
Internet Explorer 5.1 (OS X)
Netscape Communicator (Windows 98)
Internet Explorer 5.5 (Windows 98)
Netscape 7.0 (Windows XP)
Internet Explorer 6 (Windows XP)