ssl-padlock-encryption

Benefits of SSL – a.k.a. Encryption

Here in Pakistan(especially) and generally all over the world, people crave free Internet and get online anywhere anytime on anyone’s machine or network when they are offered free Internet. This applies to those free Wifi stalkers as well, who just roam around with their laptops looking for a free Wifi network, I just want to say this to these people YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER.

I for one, am paranoid about my belongings and my presence on the web and I try my best not to login from any computer but mine I don’t even use the Internet from my Institute’s computers, cause if I start here telling you what can be done and what could have been done with your credentials which you just gave away when using someone else’s network or computer to access the Internet you would wish you had an UNDO button. If you are using a NON-ENCRYPTED connection to a website, all information which flows to and fro between you and the website is open for anyone in-between the link to intercept and store without your knowledge.

Most sites out there don’t offer Encrypted connection or don’t offer it as default, so your info is at RISK, by encrypted connection, I mean SSL (SSL=Secure Socket Layer), to check if a site is using SSL or not, look for an ‘s’ after the http in the address bar of the browser you are using;

https://www.google.com

or look for a little LOCK (actually a pad-lock) icon in the status bar of the browser.

Almost all BIG sites offer SSL, google made it default on Gmail and just recently has launched an Encrypted Search Engine, which you can access from here; https://www.google.com, but most other sites don’t offer SSL as default cause it takes up more resources at their end, increasing their expenses, but they do provide a link to an SSL version of their site usually as Use Enhanced Security or Advanced Security or even SSL etc…

I have been using SSL since I learned myself how to SNOOP on a network and how to sniff out useful information from the packets going through the wire, recently I removed the password from my Wifi Router and I was shocked to see so many people using it and opening all types of sites and I was able to get the login credentials of many, though I deleted those and didn’t used them…. cause like Google I also say Do NO Evil, or your Evil will return back to you….

If you have got any questions or are confused then just put in the comments, I am thinking of writing a FOLLOW-UP post soon….


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6 responses to “Benefits of SSL – a.k.a. Encryption”

  1. Hammad Ansari Avatar
    Hammad Ansari

    I use internet from my Institution's computer labs. Here all students have their own login id and password. One can't not access others' contents. I want to know your views is it safe to use computers with or without internet?

    Hammad Ansari
    FAST-NUCES Karachi

  2. Zaid Pirwani Avatar

    Hammad Ansari,

    can you please elaborate this a little bit:
    “Here all students have their own login id and password. One can't not access others' contents.”

    As for using Internet on public places, I am just saying that on a public computer you don't know what is installed on the system or if the system is clean or infected by some virus, as there are software and trojans available which can record every keystroke from the keyboard, hence they can NOTE DOWN your passwords(even if the connection you are using is encrypted), as the softwares work LOCALLY. plus if the connection is not encrypted all information between the browser and the server is accessible to anyone else on the network who has SNIFFING software….

  3. Zaid Pirwani Avatar

    If you have got any questions then ask here, as I will be posting a follow up to this POST soon…..

  4. Hammad Ansari Avatar
    Hammad Ansari

    Well, I dont know much about how computers are interlinked together. We have our own accounts. We login using these accounts. It is similar to multiple accounts on same window. We are not allowed to install any software in computers without admin's permission. Even we use this log in IDs to use internet in our laptops via wifi. As far as viruses are concern, we are pretty much sure that the computers are safe and secure by regularly updated anti-viruses.

    Hammad Ansari
    FAST-NUCES Karachi

  5. Zaid Pirwani Avatar

    As to my knowledge of FAST, they have a great system built there, you guys have accounts in such a way that you can login to any PC and have your files at the desktop (or your My Documents), I am also sure that the FAST computers are clean and free from any viruses.

    But, you should know that all the data routes through the FAST servers and similarly through the ISP, this data is LOGGED and recorded, plus a system administrator with malicious intent can install KEYLOGGERS on these systems.

    I would suggest that you should avoid signing into your personal accounts through those systems as much as you can, if you need to sign in, then put in your password using the ON-SCREEN KEYBOARD, that way keylogger cannot trace your password, plus always make sure that the address of the login page starts with https://….. if it doesn't then click on SECURE SIGN IN or ENHANCED SECURITY etc….

    I think that will be enough

  6. Hammad Ansari Avatar
    Hammad Ansari

    Oh thanks alot for ur response. I am impressed :)

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