To say the least, encrypting personal information is not a simple process, and it is very important, especially with casinos.
Encryption is the key to keeping customers technically and digitally safe and secure when they are online. In the case of casinos, this means protecting any personal data that has been submitted in order to keep those details away from third parties. Encryption is realized through network packets, and SSL certificates may be useful for this process.
Ensuring that their systems are effective relies on many factors.
Table of Contents
What’s a Firewall?
A firewall is a security device within a network that monitors incoming and outgoing traffic to a website. Based on its predetermined security settings, it can either allow or deny access to that site depending on what each visitor intends to do.
Harmless traffic is waved through but if there are potential causes for concern then they will be denied access. Harmful traffic can include, but is not limited to, Adware, Malware, Fraudulent Diallers, Email Spoofing and Rogue Security Software.
In simple terms, think of this as a wall with special access granted to safe, interested parties. Anyone intending to do harm is denied entry.
Digital Data Encryption
Information Packets
Information packets, also referred to as network packets, are protocol data units. This can be a very technical area of encryption but it’s another important way in which IT services help to keep customers safe.
Packets consist of two parts: The Header describes the contents and shows key information such as IP addresses. This is followed by the Payload which contains the actual data. Clearly this is very sensitive information and these packets will be encrypted in order to ensure that the contents do not make it into the wrong hands.
HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)
From the early days of internet usage, we’ve all been told to look for the ‘s’ at the start of a url. The letter stands for an extra level of security but what, exactly, does HTTPS mean?
The acronym itself stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure and it relates to data that is being transmitted when a visitor calls up the site. Using either Secure Socket Layer or Transport Layer Security, that information becomes encrypted and secure against third party attacks.
The ‘S’ is, therefore the crucial element to any url. If it is absent, it doesn’t necessarily mean that blacklisted casinos are in operation and that your data will be stolen. However, it does mean that there is no encryption in place and that the information that is transmitted is more vulnerable as a result. For that simple reason, it’s important to play with a safe online casino that uses the full HTTPS as its url prefix.
Security Encryption Protocols
What is an SSL Certification?
SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer and it specifically refers to a website’s level of encryption. These certificates use a public key and a private key and they combine to create a secure connection. Typically, levels of encryption will be shown as 128-bit or 256-bit.
The higher the number, the more secure the connection is, but both of those levels are highly effective. The 256-bit encryption uses more numbers in its coding but it’s stated that it would still take 100 years to crack any code laid down by 128-bit technology.
Like many areas of casino data security, details of the SSL certificate should be shown on the website. All safe online casinos should display this information clearly and players should contact customer services if it is absent.
What is a Transport Layer Security (TLS)?
Transport Layer Security is seen as the future of data encryption and, while SSL remains effective, it is envisaged that TLS will eventually be used more widely among safe gambling sites and the wider eCommerce world. TLS is a cryptographic protocol which is used to secure communications including email and instant messaging.
When providing personal details online, Transport Layer Security also works with HTTPS websites in order to encrypt any information that is declared. The process is continually developing: Originally conceptualised in 1999, the latest version of TLS at the time of writing is 1.3 which is fully secure.
Its ability to fully evolve means that this software is more flexible that SSL and it has the capacity to develop moving forward. In short, SSL and TLS do a similar job. Both are very effective at what they do but, in the future, we will see Transport Layer Security in far greater use.
Deposit Restriction
When a customer looks to register at a secure online casino, there should be the option to set deposit limits. This is seen as a useful tool to promote responsible gambling, but it can also be powerful in the fight against credit card fraud.
If the option isn’t provided at that sign up stage, it can usually be accessed by simply going into your account settings. Once located, customers can set an upper limit and they can also set the frequency in which they can add deposits into their account.
If a fraudster gets hold of bank card details, this then offers an extra layer of protection. They may initially be able to make a transaction but it will be restricted and any attempt to exceed existing limits would alert the operator that something may have been compromised.
ID and Age Verification
All countries should have laws in place to guard against underage gambling. Using two examples, the UK specifies that players must be 18 in order to gamble while, in the United States of America, the minimum age is 21.
In order to ensure that customers are meeting these requirements and that they are gambling safely, the best casinos should apply a strict ID and verification process. This will typically involve providing two documents, one of which must show a photograph of the individual while the other confirms their address.
Some operators will insist on this information upon registration while others ask for ID when a first deposit is made. It’s also common for safe online casinos to seek verification when their customer makes a first withdrawal.
Verification isn’t a process that anyone particularly enjoys going through but as long as those ID documents are to hand then it should be quick and easy. The main point is that the procedure is there in players’ interests and it is a mark of a safe online casino. It is designed simply to guard against underage gambling and to safeguard the community as a whole.
In Summary
The list of measures taken by safe gambling sites to ensure encryption is a comprehensive one. Some of those measures are exceptionally technical but it can be useful just to take a moment and to go into each one in greater detail. The more information that we have as non-IT experts, the greater understanding we will have and that can build reassurance.
We have to trust those safe online casinos and we can check their security pages to make sure they have secure systems in place. To play our part, we can consider those limits on funding and we should also make sure that any verification documents are forwarded as soon as they are asked for. It’s a two-way system to an extent and, together, operator and customer can back up the website’s encryption and make sure that it’s perfectly safe to play online.