Frequently asked questions about hardy bamboo and ornamental grassessedges purchased on line from the Pot and Grass Co. Colchester EssexUK

The Pot and Grass Company: Security in Brief.

The Pot and Grass Company is hosted on a secure server. Credit and debit cards are procesed through secure UK based processing facilities Nochex &  Secure Hosting.

Nochex & Secure Hosting uses SSL, secure socket layer 28 bit encryption, the highest level encryption availble to process your transaction.

To ensure the pages you are viewing are secure here are a few tips.

1. Check the address in the address bar to ensure that the address starts https:// not just http:// The s is very important it signifies asecure page.
2. Check that the name after the https:// is potandgrass.co.uk/
3. Check that there is a small padlock in the right hand side of the browser address bar or on older browsers in the lower right hand corner of the browser window indicating a secure page.
4. Click on the padlock and check the security certificate it should read-

Using the P&G secure Internet site for transactions

The Pot and Grass Company and its on line shop the Bamboo Store is set up to prevent unauthorized people from seeing the information that is sent to or from those sites. These are called "secure" sites. Because browsers like Internet Explorer supports the security protocols used by secure sites, you can send information to our secure site with safety and confidence. (A protocol is a set of rulesand standardsthat enable computers to exchange information.)

When you visit the Bamboo Store you are visiting our secure Web site, it automatically sends you its certificate, A certificate is a statement verifying the identity of a person or the security of a Web site. Before you can start sending encrypted or digitally signed information, you must obtain a certificate and set up Internet Explorer to use it. When you visit a secure Web site (one whose address starts with"https"),the site automatically sends you its certificate.

When you visit a secure Web site Explorer displays a lock icon on the status bar. Look at the bottom right hand corner of the screen now and you will see the padlock icon . If you click on the Icon you will see the security certificate.  Formore information.

If you are about to send information (such as your credit card number) to an insecure site. Internet Explorer can warn you that the site is not secure. If the site claims to be secure but its security credentials are suspect, Internet Explorer can warn you that the site might have been tampered with or might be misrepresenting itself

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Using certificates for privacy and security

You can use certificates to protect your personally identifiable information on the Internet, and to protect your computer from unsafe software. A certificate is a statement verifying the identity of a person or the security of a Web site. Browsers like Internet Explorer uses two different types of certificates:

A "Web site certificate" states that a specific Web site is secure and genuine. It ensures that no other Web site can assume the identity of the original secure site. When you are sending personal information over the Internet, it is a good idea to check the certificate of the Web site you are using to ensure that it will protect your personally identifiable information. When you are downloading softwarefrom a Web site, you can use certificates to verify that the software is coming from a known, reliable source.

A "personal certificate" is a verification that you are who you say you are. This information is used when you send personal information over the Internet to a Web site that requires a certificate verifying your identity. You can control the use of your own identity by having a private key that only you know on your own computer. When used with e-mail programs, security certificates with private keys arealso known as "digital IDs."

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  How do security certificates work?

A security certificate, whether it is a personal certificate or a Web site certificate, associates an identity with a "public key." Only the owner of the certificate knows the corresponding "private key." The "private key" allows the owner to make a "digital signature" or decrypt information encrypted with the corresponding "public key." When you send your certificate to other people,you are actually giving them your public key, so they can send you encrypted information that only you can decrypt and read with your private key.

The digital signature component of a security certificate is your electronic identity card.

The digital signature tells the recipient that the information actually came from you and has not been forged or tampered with.

Before you can start sending encrypted or digitally signed information, you must obtain a certificate and set up Internet Explorer to use it. When you visit a secure Web site (one whose address starts with "https"), the site automatically sends you its certificate.

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