Riverbend

Browser Security Requirements

To protect you and your personal health information, Riverbend requires a browser with 128-bit encryption strength in order to access the secure parts of our site.  RIVERBEND is serious about protecting our members' privacy, and this level of encryption is an industry standard for the type of information we are exchanging.

Which browser should I use?

Fully supported browsers for this site include Internet Explorer (IE) 4.01 to 6.01 and Netscape Navigator 4.1 to 4.72.

What is 128-bit encryption?

Encryption is the process of converting plain text into scrambled code to help to safeguard the transmission of confidential data. Most browsers use 40-bit encryption.  Encryption at 128-bit strength provides a significantly greater amount of cryptographic protection.

The numbers "128" and "40" refer to the size of the key used to encrypt the message.  With hackers gaining increasing computing power, it is necessary to employ larger keys than has been needed in the past.  To compare the two, 128-bit encryption is approximately 309,485,009,821,345,068,724,781,056 times stronger than 40-bit encryption.

How can I tell if I have a 40- or a 128-bit encryption browser version?

There should be information in your browser that tells you. 

For example, in Internet Explorer, go to the Help menu and select About Internet Explorer.  Look for "Cipher Strength". For IE3 or below, since it is difficult to tell what your cipher strength is, we recommend you upgrade your browser.

In Netscape Navigator, go to the Help menu and select About Netscape (or click the Apple icon, for MAC users). Look for the section that reads "Contains encryption software from RSA Data Security, Inc". If it says, "U.S. security", you have 128-bit encryption. If it says "International security," you have 40-bit encryption.

How do I get 128-bit encryption?

If you use Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, new browser versions should support 128-bit encryption.  If you choose to upgrade your current browser, you can find patches or browser versions with 128-bit encryption at the following locations:

Internet Explorer: Microsoft Internet Explorer High Encryption Pack  

Netscape: Netscape Browser Central  or Archived earlier versions of Netscape (versions 2.x, 3.x, 4.x)  

For AOL: Enter the keyword "128browser" and follow the instructions for downloading and installation.