Rakuten Broadband Premium

< Credit Card and Personal Information >

Each year, we see an increase in the number of web sites offering online shopping / services and usually require users to enter personal and sensitive information. Such information is usually encrypted during transmission for security, but nothing is 100% safe.

Most current web browsers will indicate to the user whether or not the site is secure or not. In the case of MS Internet Explorer, you can confirm that a web site is secured with encryption by checking the icon of a padlock (located either at the bottom left or bottom right corners). Locked means secure, unlocked means not secure. It is highly recommended that you refrain from entering credit card numbers or other sensitive personal information on sites that are not encrypted for safety.

In the end, it is the responsibility of the customer to decide whether or not the site is safe. Obviously, the most effective security measure would be to not use these types of online services at all, but if you do, we urge our customers to be aware of the risks involved.

< Password >

Your password plays the most important role in protecting your information and property online. If your password gets in the hands of a mischievous third-person, your personal information and data could potentially be in great danger. We suggest you change your password periodically to reduce the risk of having your security compromised.

What would be a safe password?
Your date of birth, name, words that can be found in a dictionary or a simple series of characters on the keyboard are NOT good passwords as they can easily be guessed or cracked if one is determined enough to do so. Choosing a safe password usually means a random series of capital and lowercase letters and numbers. GOL also requires at least one non-alphanumeric symbol to be included in customer passwords. These types of passwords are the most difficult to crack. As would be expected, it's never a good idea to write your password down unless you are certain about the safety of the location.

< Security for Broadband Connections >

As broadband connections continue to gain in popularity, so too does the number of cases involving unauthorized access.

An unsecured broadband connection is a very tempting prize for a would-be hacker due to increased bandwidth and the "always-on" nature of the session. Unauthorized access is a real threat and it is critical that consumers be aware of the dangers involved and take appropriate measures to ensure their security. A good place to start would be with some personal firewall software.

< Some Security Software Manufacturers >
- Trend Micro Corp.: http://www.trendmicro.com/
- Symantec Corp.: http://www.symantec.com/

< Router Usage >
Proper use of a broadband router can also increase security. In most cases, only the IP address of the router will be visible to the outside world while your PC/Mac IP addresses remain safely hidden. This is, of course, not a complete solution.

All routers are, by default, shipped with the same access password from the factory. By changing this password, you can effectively reduce the possibility of unauthorized access.