Copyright: Copyright CompuServe, Inc. 10/17/97


Help Contents
Contents

What Is Virtual Key?

Introduction

Security Configuration

Setting Up an Account

Explain Security Issues

Password Storage

Security Levels

Security Examples

Accounts and Sites Properties

Account Maintenance

Site Maintenance

Versions

Creating a Watchword

What Is a Watchword?

Why Do I Need a Watchword?

Sample Dialog

Sign In Dialog Box

Sign In Dialog (Enter Password)

Sign In Dialog (No Password)

Selecting an Account (Advanced button)

Uninstalling Virtual Key

Procedure

For More Information

User Education Web Site


Introduction

Virtual Key provides secure and easy access to protected Internet sites—sites that require visitors and members to identify themselves before accessing the content.  When you enter a site that requires identification, Virtual Key verifies that

•	You are an actual member of the service to which you are connected

•	Your password is correct

•	The site you are connecting to is a protected site

You need Virtual Key software to protect your identity when you access protected sites.  At no time is your password sent across the Internet.  This prevents eavesdroppers from detecting your password.


Setting Up an Account

The Virtual Key Set Up Program helps you set up an account that you can use to enter all Internet sites that are secured by Virtual Key.

When you try to enter an Internet site that requires you to sign in, you are prompted with the Sign In dialog box, which asks for your account ID and password.  Using Virtual Key, you can configure your account settings and control how often you want to be notified when you are accessing a secure site.

This account has two settings that you will configure:

•	Password storage

•	Security levels

Before you configure an account, read about security risks, and see the security recommendations.


Explain Security Issues

There are many risks associated with Internet security.  Using Virtual Key and selecting  the highest security level, you can protect yourself from many of these risks, including:

Physical risk--This is when someone else uses your computer.  If you have your password stored on your hard drive, or if you have your security set to one of the lower settings, someone could easily use your ID and password on your computer.

Privacy risks--Privacy risks involve knowing when authentication is required.  When you enter a secure site, you are sharing private information with that site, including your identity.  If you want to know when sites have this information, you must select a security option that will notify you before you enter these sites.

To determine which security level is right for you, see Security Examples.


Password Storage

Storing Your Password

Not Storing Your Password


Storing Your Password

Using the Virtual Key security configuration dialog boxes, you have the option of entering your password and storing it on your hard drive.  This is convenient if you don't want to enter your password every time you gain access to a secure site.

For more information about the security risks involved with storing your password, see Explain Security Issues.


Not Storing Your Password

This is the most secure configuration option.  If you do not store your password on your hard drive, you will be prompted to enter your password when you sign in to a secure Internet site.  Depending on the security level you have configured, you may have to enter your password every time you access a secure site or only once per session.

If you choose to not store your password on your hard drive, it is recommended that you close your browser between sessions.  Depending on the security level you have configured, you may need to enter your password only the first time you access a secure site.  In other words, Virtual Key remembers your ID and password during the browser session, and authenticates without notifying you.  If you close your browser between sessions, you will avoid unauthorized use of your account.

For help in determining whether or not to store your password, see Security Examples.


Security Levels

High

Moderate

Minimal

None


High

The most secure option.  Every time you enter a secure site, you receive the Sign In dialog box, and you must verify your account ID and enter your password.  The High security level does not allow you to save your password on your hard drive.


Moderate

Every time you enter a secure site you receive the Sign In dialog box, and you must verify your account ID.  Your password is remembered as long as the client is active, if the password is not stored on your hard drive.  The Moderate security level lets you save your password on your hard drive.


Minimal

Every time you sign in to a new site—a site you've never visited before—you receive the Sign In dialog box, and you must verify your account ID and password. Your password is remembered as long as the client is active, if the password is not stored on your hard drive.  The Minimal security level lets you save your password on your hard drive.


None

The default option.  The least secure—but most convenient--option.  Every time you enter a secure site, Virtual Key processes the authentication without notifying you.  Virtual Key uses the last account used at the site and the password stored on the hard drive.  If you enter a site you've never visited before, Virtual Key authenticates with the last account that it used.  You must store your password on your hard drive with this security level.


Security Examples

Choose a statement that best describes your situation, and then follow the security recommendation.  For more information about security risks, see Explain Security Issues.

Examples:

1.  I am not concerned about unauthorized use of my computer, and I never want to see the sign-in dialog box.

2.  I am not concerned about unauthorized use of my computer, but I want to know when I'm entering a site that requires authentication.

3.  I share a computer with other people at work, and I don't want anyone to use my account.

4.  I share an account with other adults in my household, but I don't want the children to know the password.

5.  I share a computer with other people who have their own accounts.

6.  I have more than one account (for example, a business and a personal account) and I want to use different accounts at different sites.

7.  I have more than one account and I want to use different accounts at different times.


1.  I am not concerned about unauthorized use of my computer, and I never want to see the sign-in dialog box.

How to set your password storage:  Store your password on your hard drive.

How to set your security level:  Select the lowest security level, None.


2.  I am not concerned about unauthorized use of my computer, but I want to know when I'm entering a site that requires authentication.

How to set your password storage:  Store your password on the hard drive.

How to set your security level:  Select the Moderate security level if you want to be notified every time you enter a secure site, or select the Minimal security level if you want to be notified only when you sign in to a new site.


3.  I share a computer with other people at work, and I don't want anyone to use my account.

How to set your password storage:  Do not store your password on the hard drive, so that other users will not be able to access your account and possibly add charges to your account.

How to set your security level:  Select the High security level so that you are always required to enter your password every time you access a secure site.

Recommendation:  To avoid unauthorized use of your account, close your browser between sessions.


4.  I share an account with other adults in my household, but I don't want the children to know the password.

How to set your password storage:  Do not store your password on the hard drive.

How to set your security level:  Select the High security level if you always want users to be prompted to enter the password before signing in to a secure site.  This is the most secure option to keep children out of inappropriate sites.

Or, select Minimal so that with every new session you are prompted for the password at the first secure site you access and when you access a new site.  This is the most convenient option, even though you must enter your password at the beginning of each session, you will not be interrupted by the Sign In dialog during the session.

Recommendation:  To avoid unauthorized use of your account, close your browser between sessions.


5.  I share a computer with other people who have their own accounts.

How to set your password storage:   If you are not concerned about unauthorized use of your account, then store the password on the hard drive.  Do not store your password on the hard drive if you are concerned about unauthorized use of your account.

How to set your security level:  Select the Moderate security level so that every account member must verify their identity or select a different identity.

Recommendation:  To avoid unauthorized use of your account, close your browser between sessions.


6.  I have more than one account (for example, a business and a personal account) and I want to use different accounts at different sites.

How to set your password storage:  If you are not concerned about unauthorized use of your account, then store the password on the hard drive.  Do not store your password on the hard drive if you are concerned about unauthorized use of your account.

How to set your security level:  Select the Minimal security level so that each time you access a new site you have the opportunity to select the account you want to use.


7.  I have more than one account and I want to use different accounts at different times.

How to set your password storage:  If you are not concerned about unauthorized use of your account, then store the password on the hard drive.  Do not store your password on the hard drive if you are concerned about unauthorized use of your account.

How to set your security level:  Select the Moderate security level so that every time you enter a secure site you have the opportunity to select the account you want to use.


Account Maintenance

The Virtual Key Accounts and Sites Manager helps you manage your existing accounts and set up new accounts.  The Accounts tab lists all of your accounts in alphabetical order.

Select an account from the list and click Create to access the Set Up an Account dialog and create a new account.  Or, click Change to change the properties of the highlighted account.

Click Delete to delete the highlighted account.  All of the sites associated with this account are also deleted.  For more information about sites, see Site Maintenance.

Click Close to close the dialog and save all of your changes.


Site Maintenance

The Virtual Key Accounts and Sites Manager helps you manage the accounts you used at the sites you have visited.  The Sites tab lists the sites you've visited, the account used to enter the site, the account membership information, and the date and time of the last time you visited the site.  The settings shown for each site are used when you visit that site.

To change the settings for a site, you must delete the site from the list.  Then, make sure your security settings are set to prompt you for your account information, and access that site.  (See Security Levels for more information.)  You can change your settings from the Sign In dialog box.

Also, you can delete a site from the list in order to disassociate it from your account.  Next time you try to enter that site, you will be prompted for your account information.

Note:  If you have your security level set to Minimal, you will be prompted for your account information when you try to access a site that you've deleted.  In other words, the Minimal security level treats a deleted site as a new site.

Click Close to close the dialog and save all of your changes.


Versions

The Versions tab lists all of the files associated with Virtual Key that are installed on your hard drive.  You can view information about each file including the version number and build number.  To check your version of Virtual Key, select the RpaSspc.dll file, and look at the version number that is displayed in the Product Version box.

Please have your version information available if you are seeking assistance for Virtual Key from Customer Service.


What Is a Watchword?

The watchword that you create will be displayed in the title bar of all valid Virtual Key dialog boxes.  The presence of this watchword assures you that you are using your own, authentic version of Virtual Key—sort of like your very own seal of authenticity.  Never enter your ID and password in a dialog box that does not display your watchword.

Note:  The watchword feature was previously known as the personal keyword.

To see an example of a Virtual Key dialog box with a watchword in the title bar, see the sample dialog box.

Here are a few things to consider when creating your watchword:

•	Create a watchword that you will always recognize, but do not use your user ID or password.

•	Create a watchword that is 16 characters or less.  You can use letters, numbers, and spaces in your watchword.

•	You do not need to memorize your watchword, but it should be a word or phrase that you can recognize.

To find out why you need a watchword, see Why Do I Need a Watchword?.


Why Do I Need a Watchword?

You need to create a watchword so that you can be assured that you are using an authentic version of Virtual Key every time you have to enter your user ID and password in a dialog box.

Unfortunately, there are people who will try to get you to provide your account information over the Internet, so that they can obtain your ID and password.  They might, for example, send you a legitimate-looking dialog box that asks you to provide your user ID and password.

If you are using Virtual Key, then you will know whether a dialog box is legitimate or not.  As long as your watchword appears in the title bar, then you know it is safe to provide your user ID and password.

Virtual Key will never compromise your user ID or password, nor will Virtual Key ever be fooled by spoofing tricks.  Only you can see your watchword in the Virtual Key dialog boxes, and your watchword information is never sent across the Internet.


Sample Dialog

This is an example of the Sign In dialog box.  The user's watchword is Did You Look?, which is displayed in parenthesis in the title bar.


Sign In Dialog (Enter Password)

Depending on your security settings, and if you do not have your password stored on your hard drive, you will see the following Virtual Key Sign In dialog when you try to enter a protected Internet site. The Sign In dialog asks you to verify your account ID and enter your password.

If you want to change your account settings or select a different account, click the Advanced button.  For more information about the Advanced options, see Selecting an Account.

The checkbox at the bottom of the Sign In dialog lets you change your security level to None and store your password on your hard drive. If you check this box, then every time you enter a secure site, Virtual Key will process the authentication without notifying you.


Sign In Dialog (No Password)

Depending on your security settings, and if you have stored your password on your hard drive, you will see the following Virtual Key Sign In dialog when you try to enter a protected Internet site.   If your password is stored on your hard drive, you will not need to enter it in this Sign In dialog box.

If you want to change your account settings or select a different account, click the Advanced button.  For more information about the Advanced options, see Selecting an Account.

The checkbox at the bottom of the Sign In dialog lets you change your security level to None and store your password on your hard drive. If you check this box, then every time you enter a secure site, Virtual Key will process the authentication without notifying you.


Selecting an Account (Advanced button)

The Advanced button displays the Select Account dialog box.  Using this dialog box, you can select a different account, create a new account, change your account settings, or delete an account.

To select a different account, highlight the account you want and click OK.

To create a new account click Create.  The Set Up an Account dialog box is displayed.  Enter the new account information and select a security level.

To change your account settings, select the account and click Change.  The Set Up an Account dialog displays.  You can change your account ID, your password, and your security level.  For more information about account settings, see Setting Up an Account.  For information about security levels, see Security Levels.

To delete an account, select the account you want to delete and click Delete.  You will receive a confirmation prompt, asking you if you are sure you want to delete the selected account.  If you respond Yes, the account will be deleted.


Procedure

To uninstall Virtual Key and completely remove it from your computer, double-click on the Remove Virtual Key icon in your Virtual Key program group.  You will be prompted to confirm this action, and if you respond Yes, the Virtual Key uninstaller will begin removing the software from you computer.  The following components are removed:

•	Shared program files

•	Standard program files

•	Folder items

•	Program folders

•	Program directories

•	Program registry entries

When the uninstaller has completed, click OK.


User Education Web Site

For more information about Virtual Key, see the Virtual Key web site at

          http://www.compuserve.com/rpa/usered