Transport Layer Security

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a cryptographic protocol that provides security for communications the Internet. It is the successor to Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). The Department of the Interior's security guidelines require that our shopping cart checkout pages be accessible only via the TLS protocol. When your computer and our server use the the TLS protocol to communicate, no one can eavesdrop or tamper with any of the information.

TLS is enabled by default in most browsers. If you are using Internet Explorer 6, you can enable TLS by following these instructions:

1. In your browser's menu, click Tools, then Internet Options…
2. In the Internet Options window that appears, click the Advanced tab.
3. Scroll the list of Settings to the bottom.
4. Look for the list item that says Use TLS 1.0 and check the box. Do not make any other changes.
5. Click the OK button.

Note: If you've already configured your browser to enable the TLS protocol and you still cannot access the checkout page, please e-mail lowryt@saic.com for technical support.

Additional Information

• Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems
• TLS on Wikipedia