• Home
• Downloads
• Resources
• LIMS
  • All LIMS Servers
  • Request New LIMS
• SOMO
• Wiki
  • UltraScan-III
  • LIMS-III
  • US SOMO
  • openAUC

Welcome! Contacts Data Security Login

Data Security

HTTPS & Encrypted Transport

This website uses HTTPS for all login sessions and authenticated communications. HTTPS layers the TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocol on top of standard web (HTTP) traffic, creating an encrypted tunnel for everything transmitted between your browser and our servers. This ensures that your login credentials, analysis parameters, and experimental data cannot be read or tampered with in transit, even on shared or public networks.

Two Environments, Two Certificate Types

UltraScan operates two distinct environments, each using a different type of TLS certificate:

• Public-facing site — Uses a certificate issued by a trusted public certificate authority (CA). Your browser will recognize and trust it automatically with no additional steps required.
• Private LIMS — Uses a self-signed certificate within the internal LIMS environment. Self-signed certificates provide the same encryption strength as CA-issued certificates; the only difference is that they are not vouched for by a public CA. Because of this, your browser will display a security warning the first time you connect. This is expected — see the instructions below.

Accessing a Private LIMS

When connecting to the private LIMS for the first time your browser will show a warning such as “Your connection is not private” or “Potential security risk ahead.” This is normal for self-signed certificates in a controlled internal environment. Use the steps below for your browser to proceed:

Chrome / Edge

1. Click Advanced on the warning page.
2. Click Proceed to [hostname] (unsafe). The label sounds alarming but within the LIMS network this is the expected and correct path.

Firefox

1. Click Advanced… on the warning page.
2. Click Accept the Risk and Continue. Firefox will remember the exception for subsequent sessions.

Safari

1. Click Show Details on the warning page.
2. Click visit this website and enter your macOS password if prompted to confirm the trust decision.

Security Best Practices

Even with HTTPS in place, a few habits help keep your account and data secure:

• Always verify the address bar shows https:// and the correct hostname before entering your credentials.
• Log out when you are finished, especially on shared workstations.
• A certificate warning on the public-facing site would be unexpected. If you see one there, please contact us before proceeding.