For those parts of the Cumbria County Council Internet website where sensitive or personal data is likely to be exchanged between the website and the user, such as the completion of detailed on-line forms, Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology is used. This ensures that all personal or sensitive data transmitted over a public Internet connection to or from the CCC website is protected by 128-bit encryption.
This standard is supported by the major internet browser products, but support for 128-bit cipher strength security may not be installed/configured by default.
To check if your browser supports 128-bit cipher strength, follow the instructions below:
Please note however, that Cumbria County Council takes no responsibility for the information provided at the browser support websites referred to below, or the consequences of following any instructions given by these websites.
If you are working from a business establishment and your PC is managed by other people, then you MUST consult with your IT admin/support staff before committing to any of the upgrades or configuration changes referred to below.
Browser Security Check by Verisign (works for all browsers)
Rather than follow the browser specific instructions given below you can perform a simple check on the Verisign website to confirm the current security level of your browser. This is browser independent, but it is only a check and you still need to go to the relevant manufacturer’s support site if your browser’s security requires any changes.
The link to the Verisign browser security check is at the bottom of this page.
Internet Explorer
You can easily check the cipher strength of your browser, by clicking on the "Help", and "About Internet Explorer", buttons at the top of the screen. You will see the cipher strength listed in the window that pops up.
If you do not have a cipher strength of 128-bit, you will need to update your copy of the browser. To do this, you will need to install the Internet Explorer "High Encryption Pack," which you can get by visiting the High Encryption Pack Download Page (link at the bottom of this page).
Netscape Navigator
If you are using Netscape navigator, check your browser settings or visit the Netscape Security Centre (link at the bottom of this page).
Other Browsers
Refer to the appropriate manufacturer’s support website.
Note: Users currently using Fire Fox 0.9 should upgrade to version 1.0.4 to ensure compatibility of all features of our online forms.