Accessing MyNAP Securely
We take the security and privacy of our users very seriously. When you log into MyNAP to access free PDF downloads and other special features of NAP.edu, your email address and password are transmitted from your computer to our servers using industry-standard encryption.
In October 2014, a major security flaw was revealed in SSLv3, an encryption protocol used widely on the internet. In order to continue ensuring the security of our users' personal information, we joined thousands of other websites (including many major ones, such as Twitter and Facebook) and disabled SSLv3 on our web servers.
Since the initial release of SSLv3, which was drafted in the early years of the World Wide Web, there have been many significant improvements in encryption protocols. These protocols (commonly known as TLS 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2) are widely used and enabled by default in the current versions of all modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and others). When we disabled SSLv3 on our server, we did so with the knowledge that only a very, very small portion of our users—those with older browsers or outdated settings—would be affected by the change.
What do I do if I can't connect securely?
If you receive an error message about security or encryption when you attempt to download a PDF or log into MyNAP, it most likely means that your security settings are out of date. There are a few steps you can take to try to identify and address the problem. Not only may that allow you to connect securely with NAP, but it may also ensure that you are browsing more safely everywhere.
- Upgrade your browser. If you haven't upgraded your browser in a long time—especially if you are using an older version of Internet Explorer—your browser may not support TLS, the encyrption protocol supported by NAP. We recommend downloading and installing the latest version of any of the browsers listed here. Or, if you already have one installed, try using a different browser and see if the problem persists.
- Check your browser settings. If you're unable to upgrade your browser, or upgrading doesn't solve the problem, check the settings of your browser and make sure that TLS is not disabled. In many browsers, such as Internet Explorer, this option is in an "Advanced" section. In more recent browsers, this setting may be hidden entirely.
- Use a different computer. Especially on computers that have been issued by your company or institution, it may be possible that the security settings are handled by your IT department. If one is available to you, try downloading a PDF using another computer, or contacting your IT department for further assistance.
- Change your network. It is possible that the network you are using to access the Internet may be using security settings that are outdated. If you are at work or are using a public wi-fi network, see if the problem persists when you access NAP.edu from home. Or, if you are using VPN or a remote desktop connection, try disconnecting from those services and accessing our site directly.
If you are still unable to log in securely after trying the steps above, please contact our customer service department and let us know. (Also be sure to tell us what book you're trying to download!)