How We Protect Your Information - Site Security Features

SSL Technology and how you benefit from it:

WebMD realizes how important security is to you, so we've taken a number of steps to enhance the protection of personal or confidential information provided to or from WebMD over the Internet. First, we require that a "secure session" be established, using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. This is done anytime you supply or access personal or confidential information in one of our secure online areas.

SSL technology creates a private conversation that only the computer you are using and WebMD systems can understand. The SSL technology encodes information as it is being sent over the Internet between your computer and WebMD systems, helping to ensure that the transmitted information remains confidential.

The use of SSL requires two components: an SSL-compatible browser and a Web server to perform the "key-exchange" that establishes a secure connection to WebMD server systems.

The technological requirements needed to benefit from SSL technology include:

1. A Compliant Browser - You will need a browser with SSL capabilities. Examples of SSL browsers include Netscape 2.0 and newer, Microsoft's Internet Explorer 2.0 and newer, and the web browser for America Online version 3.0 for Windows and newer. (Note that some older versions of browsers will not support SSL sessions). If you don't already have a browser with SSL capabilities, you can download an SSL-compliant browser from the links below.
   • AOL - www.aol.com
   • Microsoft Internet Explorer - www.Microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.asp
   • Mozilla Firefox 2 - www.mozilla.com/en-US
   • Netscape Navigator - channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/default.jsp
   In order to securely access your personal or confidential information via the Internet, we recommend you use the newest browser versions available.
2. A Compliant Internet Service Provider - Nearly all Internet service providers (ISPs) automatically enable the SSL session described above. If you use your company's internal connection to access the Internet and you find you cannot access the WebMD secure pages with an SSL browser described above, your company may be blocking access via a "firewall." Please speak to your firm's Internet systems administrator for further details on your network's Internet access.
3. Enabled Cookies - You also must have cookies enabled on your browser in order to access confidential information. If you have chosen to disable cookies on your browser, you will not be able to access WebMD Health Manager.

Geographic Redundancy:

In addition to SSL technology, WebMD has established two geographically separate facilities, each with their own set of servers. In the event that we have to perform maintenance on one set of servers, your data will be available from the second (redundant) location. This also provides you further assurance that your data is kept safe and secure in the unlikely event of server problems at one of our locations.

User ID and Password:

WebMD Health requires the use of a User ID and Password as a security measure that helps protect your confidential information. This allows WebMD to verify who you are, thereby allowing you access to your account information and preventing unauthorized entries. When you have finished using WebMD Health, make sure you always log out and close your browser window.

You should be aware that browser software often "caches" a page as you look at it, meaning that some pages are saved in your computer's temporary memory. Therefore, you may find that clicking on your browser's "Back" button shows you a saved version of a previously viewed page. While caching is common on most Internet sites, WebMD Health Manager does not cache your pages. Caching in no way affects the security of your confidential User ID or Password. If you use a computer in a public place to access your account information, simply quit or exit the browser software before leaving to remove the possibility of anyone else viewing your confidential information.

Firewalls:

WebMD makes use of the latest technology to protect your stored information. We use firewalls at many levels to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing our system. All messages entering or leaving our system pass through these firewalls and are examined according to certain security criteria we have in place. If the defined criteria are not met, the message is blocked. A firewall is considered a first line of defense in protecting private information.

Virus Protection:

Our systems are also protected by virus programs, which are kept current to the latest standards. These virus programs provide another layer of protection for our systems and our users.

WebMD can reasonably ensure that the data you store in our system is kept safe and secure. We cannot, however provide protection for your computer or the connection you make to the Internet. Here are a few steps you can take to help make sure that your computer connection remains safe from unauthorized intruders via the Internet:

Your Password: By making your password at least 8 characters long and by mixing both numbers and letters, you can help WebMD Health make your password even more difficult for an unauthorized user to "guess". It is recommended that you change your password at least every 6 months.

Your Username: Your username, combined with your password, provide you access to your WebMD Health member areas. Your WebMD Health username should be at least six characters in length and can be letters and numbers. Keep in mind that the longer your user name is and the greater mixture of letters and numbers you use (alpha-numeric), the more difficult it will be for an unauthorized person to "guess".

Personal Firewalls: Much like the firewalls that WebMD uses to protect your data, a personal home firewall will help protect your home computer from unauthorized access entering your computer from the Internet. There are many home computer firewall programs available.

Spyware Protection: Also called adware, spyware is any software that secretly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet. Once installed, the spyware monitors your activity on the Internet, possibly including email addresses, passwords, or credit card numbers. Spyware transmits that information, in the background, to someone else who will either use it for advertising/marketing purposes or sell the information to another party. WebMD does not endorse any specific product or service, but we have listed examples of spyware detection and removal software for your review. It should also be noted that a personal firewall may help detect and prevent spyware programs' attempts to communicate to or from your personal computer.

Lavasoft Ad-aware - www.lavasoftusa.com

Spybot S&D - www.safer-networking.org

NetCopy System Shield - www.topshareware.com/NetCop-System-Shield-download-858.htm

Also, a more complete list of downloadable anit-spyware software can be found at: www.intranetjournal.com/spyware/removal.html#scansoft

Virus Protection: At the time this document was written, there were more than 2,300 known computer viruses. Every computer should have a virus detection program running in conjunction with the personal firewall software. Your local computer store can help you select a program that is right for you. WebMD does not endorse any specific product or service, but we have listed examples of virus protection software for your review:

Symantec antivirus research center - www.symantec.com/avcenter/index.html

McAfee virus information home page - www.mcafee.com

Symantec's Virus Info Database - www.symantec.com:80/avcenter/vinfodb.html

Also, a list of downloadable virus software can be found at: cws.internet.com/virus.html

How We Use Your Personal Information

Once you've become a registered WebMD Health user, we use your personal information to deliver products and services that you enroll in and to process transactions you conduct on our web site.

How We Use Your Email Address

We may use your email address to send you the following types of email messages:

These email messages may contain clear GIFs or web beacons to measure the offer's effectiveness so we know how to serve you better. We do not collect personally identifiable information through clear GIFs or web beacons. You may decline to receive email offers from WebMD at any time.

We do not share your email address with other companies for them to market their products or services to you. If we hire vendors to deliver emails to you on our behalf, they cannot use your email address for any other purpose.

WebMD does not rent, lease, sell or otherwise disclose your personally identifiable information to third parties parties (the ones we described in our privacy policy at http://www.webmd.com/policies/about-privacy-policy#part7) without your consent, choice, and proper notice.