Secure Online Transactions

Secure online transaction

Secure connection

A secure connection is an encrypted exchange of information between the website you are visiting and Internet Explorer. Encryption is provided through a document the website provides called a certificate. When you send information to the website, it is encrypted at your computer and decrypted at the website. Under normal circumstances, the information cannot be read or tampered with while it is being sent, but it's possible that someone might find a way to crack the encryption.

Even if the connection between your computer and the website is encrypted, it does not guarantee that the website is trustworthy. Your privacy can still be compromised by the way the website uses or distributes your information.

Are secure connections private?

Not necessarily. Even though the information you are sending is encrypted (encoded), an intermediate party might be able to see the website you are connecting to. By knowing the website you are connecting to, the other party might have a pretty good idea what you are doing on that site. For example, if you're looking for a new job using a computer at work, your company might watch for key words in websites or keep a log of visited sites. If you upload a resume to a job website, the document might be encrypted, but your company would still know you're looking for a new job.

How can I tell if I have a secure connection?

In Internet Explorer, you will see a lock icon in the Security Status bar. The Security Status bar is located on the right side of the Address bar.

The certificate that is used to encrypt the connection also contains information about the identity of the website owner or organization. You can click the lock to view the identity of the website.

Why do I see different colors in the Security status bar?

When you visit a website that uses a secure connection, the color of the Security Status bar tells you whether the certificate is valid, and it displays the level of validation that was performed by the certifying organization.

How can I increase the safety of my online transactions?

While there is no guarantee of safety on the web, you can minimize online privacy or security problems by using websites you know and trust. Internet Explorer cannot tell if a website owner is trustworthy. Try to use sites you've used previously or that are recommended by trusted friends or family. You should also turn on Internet Explorer's SmartScreen Filter to help identify fraudulent websites.

What does it mean when I have both secure and non-secure (mixed) content?

Secure and non-secure content, or mixed content, means that a webpage is trying to display elements using both secure (HTTPS/SSL) and non-secure (HTTP) web server connections. This often happens with online stores or financial sites that display images, banners, or scripts that are coming from a server that is not secured.

The following table describes what the Security Status bar colors mean.

Color	What it means
Red	The certificate is out of date, invalid, or has an error. For more information, see "About certificate errors" in Related Topics.
Yellow	The authenticity of the certificate or certification authority that issued it cannot be verified. This might indicate a problem with the certification authority's website.
White	The certificate has normal validation. This means that communication between your browser and the website is encrypted. The certification authority makes no assertion about the business practices of the website.
Green	The certificate uses extended validation. This means that communication between your browser and website is encrypted and that the certification authority has confirmed the website is owned or operated by a business that is legally organized under the jurisdiction shown in the certificate and on the Security Status bar. The certification authority makes no assertion about the business practices of the website.