Please excuse the noise if this isn't the right NG for my query. I use Netscape browser 4.78 to read emails from hotmail.com. Someone I knew sent me a hotmail message containing a link to a discount coupon at a reputable e-tailer. I clicked on the coupon link and I was redirected to the a host 216.32.180.250 which I believe is a hotmail host (I think hotmail modifies all URLs sent through its mail system.) This 216.32.180.250 host in turn directed me to final link to the e-tailer where the coupon was found. Anyway when I clicked on the re-directed coupon to redeem it, the page pulled up my shopping cart with the items I already had from another Netscape browser page. I proceeded to checkout without problem. And so I thought.
After completing the purchase, I noticed that the lock in the NS browser was open, indicating an unsecured/enencrypted page. I know this page (the confirmation page with my name, parts of credit card number, etc) was always encrypted. From another secure NS browser window, I logged into my account and verified my purchase. So I knew I didn't give my credit card to a bogus site. For what it is worth, the other NS window where I added items to the shopping cart , had the lock closed. The questions I have for this NG are: 1. Was my purchase transaction encrypted and secure? 2. Did the server at the e-tailer think it carried out a secure transaction? and 3. If the answer to question 2 was "yes" then why did my browser show it was reading an unsecure page? 4. Was there a chance that someone could get hold of my credit card number?
