Are Secure Web Sites Really Secure?
So you’re shopping online and you start to check out. Seeing the HTTPS in your address bar, you enter your credit card number. But is that web site really secure?
Just because the site says HTTPS does not make it secure. It’s become easier for hackers to infiltrate HTTPS connections and forge digital certificates. Advanced techniques include hijacking your computer and redirecting you to a phony site that looks like the real deal, complete with HTTPS and digital certificate.
What about those icons that “guarantee” a secure web experience? Again, these can be forged, or may no longer be valid. Even a positive McAfee SiteAdvisor rating is not a one hundred percent guarantee of a valid site.
Visiting a bona fide secure web site can also result in a hijacked credit card, if your computer is infected with a keylogger virus that records everything you type.
Your best bet is to do business only with sites you know and trust, preferably those with a brick-and-mortar presence or a well-established online reputation. Be sure to type web addresses directly into your browser rather than clicking on links in email or search engine results, because these may be poisoned. Check your security protections regularly, and stay tuned to Tech Tips for the latest news.
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