One of the keys to effective security procedures on the Internet is verifying who is who.
Certificates facilitate that process by providing a means to identify an organization or individual.
A digital certificate, also called an authentication certificate, allows you to confirm that an e-mail message or Web page did in fact originate from the organization or individual it claims to come from. You do not need to obtain your own certificate unless you plan to receive encrypted e-mail , or set up your own secure Web server. The Sympatico service does not offer its members the option of setting up a secure Web server. However, as a Sympatico member, you can obtain a certificate to receive encrypted mail. With Web transactions, you can check if the vendor you're dealing with is certified once you've established a secure connection to their Web site.