Services FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The responses to frequently asked questions have been included here in the hope that they will save us both some time

Secure Email

  • Email is only secure when sent over a secure internet connection
  • Methods for receiving email are POP3 and IMAP4, both can be made secure
  • A method for sending email is SMTP, it can be made secure too
  • Connections use Secure Socket Layer [SSL] technology
  • SSL is used for Credit Card transactions on the internet
  • POP3 works by downloading your emails to the local computer
  • POP3 usually works from an email program and server connection
  • IMAP shows emails and does not have to download the original email
  • IMAP still allows filing of emails on the email server from anywhere

Secure Servers

  • Computer servers capable of showing websites on secure ports
  • Ports are like channels within your internet connection
  • There are thousands of ports, insecure web browsing is on Port 80
  • Insecure POP3 email is received on Port 110
  • Insecure SMTP email is sent on Port 25
  • Many ports can be secured and programs set only to operate on them
  • Networked computers using secure connections comprise a VPN
  • SSL connections involve secure protocols which the servers negotiate
  • Data sent along secure connections is encrypted end to end
  • Even if data was captured from a secure connection, it would be coded
  • Secure servers have a digital certificate to verify it's identity
  • The certificate is checked for validity each time the server is connected to
  • Your browser can be set to accept or deny invalid certificates, you choose
  • Secure data transfer requires valid certificates to be authenticated
  • It's possible to own a Personal Certificate to verify yourself
  • Encryption keys are another way to personalize and encode your data

Virtual Private Network

  • Computers connected together by cable/infra red form a network
  • Networks can be in one physical place, Local Area Network
  • Networks may also be over several locations, Wide Area Network
  • Connected computers may use internet connections
  • These internet connections are most commonly insecure
  • When all connections are secure, the network is a VPN

DNS & MX

  • When you type a web address in your browser, it is converted to a number
  • These numbers are stored by the world's DNS servers
  • The numbers are known as IP addresses and are unique
  • Domain Names can only exist on one IP address
  • Domain Names have to be administered to maintain all changes
  • Each Domain Name has an 'A' record containing this information
  • Each domain name can have email sent and received from it
  • Mail eXchange records define where emails will be sent to
  • The MX record for each Domain Name also needs to be maintained

APNIC

Asia Pacific domain name / internet administration body.

ARIN

North American domain name / internet administration body from which all other internet admin bodies took their roles.

Certificate

Digital Identification which enables verification / authentication that you are who you say you are.

Client / Server

Common configuration of a computer network, a file-server takes the 'server' role with work stations being 'client' machines.

Document Repository

Data storage of all file types used by an organization.

DNS

Domain Name Server, a special utility run on internet web servers in order that the locations of other internet web and mail servers is known - essential for a browser to 'find' a website etc.

Domain Name

The alphanumeric word that you can buy in order to get yourself a presence on the internet, and to which a website is 'attached'.

Encryption

The use of algorhythm/cypher methodology to encode data in order to prevent unwanted access to that data.

Firewall

An application that controls and manages all communications into or out of a computer, on all ports.

IMAP

Alternative method of sending emails. An IMAP server allows connections to it for emails.

Key Server

Server with a database capable of holding people's 'public' security keys.

LAN

Local Area Network - a group of computers connected to form a network, e.g. Client / Server configuration.

MX

Email Exchange - the record that dictates where emails from any one domain name will be sent to.

POP3

A very common method of obtaining emails, usually entails connecting to an Internet Service Provider's internet server mailbox in order to download emails to a local computer. Insecure POP3 email is received on port 110.

Ports

An internet connection comprises many 'channels' like on cable TV. These channels are largely allocated to various tasks in order that the internet servers can communicate and provide services as required. There are 65,535 ports available on both TCP and UDP protocols. Then there are ICMP and IGMP protocols in addition.

Protocol

A 'language' which computers use when communicating with one another. There are many types of protocol available.

RIPE

European domain name / internet administration body.

Secure email

Email sent over 'secure' ports using a protocol and encryption.

Secure server

A computer that uses 'secure' ports, certificates, protocols or encryption to communicate with other secure servers.

SMTP

Insecure email is sent on port 25 to other internet mail servers.

SSL

Secure Socket Layer, a protocol that rides on an internet connection using a protocol to provide a secure connection.

VPN

A Virtual Private Network comprises a network of computers that all communicate using secure connections ports.

WAN

Wide Area Network, a network of computers connected directly by cable and/or via the internet covering or bridging several physical locations.