Is Salesforce SSL Encrypted?
Salesforce -- a customer relationship management, or CRM, business software that employs Secure Sockets Layer, or SSL, encryption technology -- processes and stores sensitive information related to sales activity. Accordingly, businesses are concerned about the software's ability to keep such information from prying eyes. If you are interested in managing your sales team with Salesforce, you should review its various SSL features to determine if the program meets your security needs.
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SSL Encryption
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SSL, a security technology that uses a cryptographic system, requires keys to encrypt and decrypt data scrambled while in transit over the Internet. The public key encrypts the data, and the private key decrypts the information for the recipient. If you are on a Web page that uses SSL, the page address starts with "https" instead of the familiar "http." You should always verify that a website URL begins with "https" before sending confidential information.
Browsers typically use SSL, and several companies provide SSL certification for websites that collect credit card numbers and other confidential information. Certification shows that a website uses the latest SSL system to encrypt communications. Examples of businesses that offer encryption certification include Comodo, VeriSign and DigiCert.
Salesforce Data
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As a sales tool, businesses use Salesforce to enter customer names, addresses, telephone numbers, purchase history, other personal information and communications. The software also encrypts usernames and passwords entered by users to access the service, and encrypts session-ID cookies used to identify individual users. Any information leaked could result in privacy lawsuits, the reason Salesforce equips its program with SSL. Without its SSL component, businesses would not run the legal risk of using the software.
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Encryption Levels
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Salesforce offers several levels of encryption based on the size of the key. Levels are measured in bits, and the available options include 40, 56, 128 and 256. Salesforce uses VeriSign 128-bit SSL encryption with a 1,024-bit RSA key. According to VeriSign, 128-bit systems are one trillion times one trillion times more secure than 40-bit systems, and it would take a hacker about one trillion years to decrypt the information using current technology.
Other Security
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Salesforce employs a variety of other security measures to protect your business data from hackers. Security measures include 24-hour physical security of its facility, firewalls, intrusion detection systems and data backup. Other measures include proprietary security for internal systems and protection of operating systems and databases by limiting production access points. In addition, Salesforce allows access to the server by employees only for maintenance, management, backups and monitoring. The company also has a disaster recovery plan. In total, Salesforce states that its security is on the same level as leading online financial institutions.
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