University of Virginia Department of Computer Science
Transferring information over the Internet is akin to passing a note in class -- you must transmit secure information through insecure links, where at any point a carrier has the ability to "take a peek" at your private information. Protocols using cryptography methods have been developed and implemented in an effort to thwart would-be spies, but this area is still in the developmental stages.

Security Protocols

Currently secure protocols for electronic transmission are mainly being driven by the need for commercial websites to be able to guarantee confidentiality to their customers. Several possibilities are being explored to find a common standard.

Methods of Securing Communications

How is one's privacy protected? Current methods have two goals: restrict access to your computer to only those that are authorized, and encrypt your communications so that they can only be seen by the proper person.

Secure Applications

Netscape Corporation has delved ahead into the security area, and as a result has had to take the brunt of the developmental criticism.

Surveillance on the Internet

The government, worried about losing the ability to "tap" electronic transmissions, has recently been pushing for the use of methods that will enable it to follow criminal activities while providing users otherwise secure communication.

See Also
HelpNet
HelpNet was created by the 1995 incoming graduate class. It is only occasionally updated.		 Department of Computer Science
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