Our server cannot verify that the information you have submitted is coming from a valid page.

Cause:

The cause of this is likely one of three things:

1. You are attempting to submit from your desktop rather than from our server. (Do not save the page to your computer to open later and submit.).
2. You are visiting a non-UMass Boston Web site, but it is attempting to use tools reserved only for UMass Boston Web servers.
3. You are using some sort of software designed to block referring information.

Explanation:

The third option is the mostly likely cause.

While such software is often sold under the guise of "Internet protection," many Web developers consider such tools as undermining good security practices. Such software certainly does increase the possibility for privacy on the Web.

When you submit information via a Web site, usually your Web browser tells the Web server the name of the page that contains the form and submit button you just clicked. Many developers use that information to make sure a request for the Web server to do something is coming from the server itself and not elsewhere.

An analogy would be imagine a company that had its own courier service working on the first floor of the building. To send packages across town, someone from another floor in the company would go to the first floor and leave the package at the courier desk. If desk people do not stop to ask for the person's identity or from which floor they are coming, then anyone could enter and leave a package. The company might some day find itself unknowingly providing and paying for courier services of individuals and businesses that took advantage of the company's limited security. This is not to mention the open risk of someone with nefarious plans being able to leave a package at the desk.

Therefore, a good security practice to ensure that a Web server is not overworked by other Web sites looking to use its tools without its knowledge. The same practice also helps prevent Web hacking -- someone breaking or hijacking server. The server accomplishes this by checking the identity of the referring page, much the way someone at the courier desk might ask the person for a company ID. This also helps prevent much more malicious activity.

The tradeoff is that obviously some of the information can be used in conjunction with other techniques to gather information about a user. This is one reason why we suggest that if people want to use such software (or perhaps configure their browser to execute no scripting and accept no cookies) that they have one browser somewhat disabled for untrusted sites and another browser fully enabled for use with trusted ones.

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