Thank you for visiting the US-CERT website of the Department of Homeland Security and reviewing our privacy policy! This privacy policy governs this website and our activities - and yours - when you visit this site. Our privacy policy is plain and simple. We collect NO personal information like names or addresses when you simply visit our website; however, if you choose to subscribe ("opt in") to one of our information products by submitting your e-mail address, we will retain and use your e-mail address solely to send you the information product(s) you request, and for no other purpose, except as provided in this agreement (see, e.g., Site Security, below, or explicitly agreed to by you. If you choose to provide other personal information such as your name and address, that information will only be used to fulfill your request for information.

We do collect some technical information when you visit to make your visit seamless. The section below explains how we handle and collect technical information when you visit our website.

Information Collected and Stored Automatically

When you browse, read pages, or download information on this website, we automatically gather and store certain technical information about your visit. This information never identifies who you are. The information we collect and store about your visit is listed below:

• The Internet domain (for example, "xcompany.com" if you use a private Internet access account, or "yourschool.edu" if you connect from a university's domain) and IP address (an IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer whenever you are surfing the Web) from which you access our website;

• The type of browser (e.g., Netscape, Internet Explorer) and operating system (Windows, Unix) used to access our site;
  • The date and time you access our site;
  • The pages you visit; and
  • If you linked to this website from another website, the address of that website.

This information is only used to help us make the site more useful for you. With this data we learn about the number of visitors to our site and the types of technology and information our visitors use. We never track or record information about individuals and their visits.

Cookies

When you visit some websites, their webservers generate pieces of information known as cookies. Some cookies collect personal information to recognize your computer in the future. This is not the case at this website, where the only cookies we will ever use are non-persistent cookies or "session" cookies. These cookies do not collect personal information on users and they are erased as soon as you leave our website.

Session cookies serve technical purposes like providing seamless navigation through this website. These cookies do not permanently record data and they are not stored on your computer's hard drive. These cookies are stored in memory and are only available during an active browser session. Again, once you close your browser, the cookie disappears.

If You Send Us Personal Information

If you choose to join the mailing list for one of our information products by submitting your e-mail address, or choose to provide us with personal information - like filling out a Contact Us form with personal information and submitting it to us through the website -- we use that information to send you the information product(s) you requested, or to respond to your message and to help us get you the information you have requested.

We only share the information you give us with another government agency if your inquiry relates to that agency, or as otherwise required by law. We do not create individual profiles or give your information to private sector organizations for marketing or other purposes. US-CERT does not collect information for commercial marketing.

Site Security

• For site security purposes and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, this government computer system employs commercial software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage.

• Except for authorized law enforcement investigations, no other attempts are made to identify individual users or their usage habits. Raw data logs are used for no other purposes and are scheduled for regular destruction in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration guidelines.

• Unauthorized attempts to upload information or change information on this service are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act.

Website Linking Policy

This US-CERT website links to other websites created and maintained by other public and/or private organizations. This website provides these links as a service to our users. When users link to an outside website, they are leaving this website and are subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the outside website(s).

Prohibitions

The US-CERT website will not link to any website that exhibits hate, bias, or discrimination. Furthermore, we reserve the right to deny or remove any link that contains misleading information or unsubstantiated claims, or is determined to be in conflict with the Department of Homeland Security's mission or policies.

Disclaimer of Endorsement

The information posted on the US-CERT website includes hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and/or private organizations. This website provides these links and pointers solely for our users' information and convenience. When users select a link to an outside website, they are leaving this website and are subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the outside website.

• US-CERT does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of information contained on a linked website.

• US-CERT does not endorse the organizations sponsoring linked websites and we do not endorse the views they express or the products/services they offer.

• US-CERT does not and cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked websites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked website.

• US-CERT is not responsible for transmissions users receive from linked websites.

• US-CERT does not guarantee that outside websites comply with the requirements of Section 508 (Accessibility Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act.