Website/Hosting

Servers: The Sterling Offshore website is hosted offsite on co-located, dedicated SSL enabled servers in a jurisdiction which respects privacy.  This ensures a fast loading, secure, and reliable internet website for our customers. 

Live Support: We utilize a third party provider with 256-bit SSL encryption all hosted on secure servers in an offshore privacy jurisdiction to ensure confidentiality between Sterling Offshore and the customer with whom we are consulting. 

Office Network

Hardware

Firewall: Sterling Offshore utilizes a hardware firewall as a first point of defense against any unwanted attempts to hack into our computer network.

Computers: All computers are new models.

Software

Operating Systems: All computers are running Windows Vista Business with password protected startup to deny any unwelcome users access to the contents.

Firewall: All computers on the office network are installed with  software firewalls restricting access to only those programs known to be safe. 

Malware/Spyware: All computers are running third party anti-malware programs for real time protection against root kits and other unwanted privacy invasive items.

Anti-Virus: All computers are running well known professional anti-virus programs for real time virus protection and are scanned daily.

Maintenance: All computers run a variety of programs to maintain the integrity of the operating systems and to remove any unwanted items which may have made it past the various firewalls and defensive programs. 

Communications

Email: The preferred method of communication between Sterling Offshore and its clients is email due to the ability to encrypt messages and maintain records.  We use industry standard open source PGP (Pretty Good Protection) encryption. Please visit PGP.org for further information on PGP.  Encryption keys available upon request.

Voice: Voice communications may be conducted by telephone; however, due to the relatively insecure nature of traditional telephone calls as well as our due diligence regulatory obligations, we prefer not to accept orders or deliver any sensitive information over the telephone. 

Instant Messaging: With the burgeoning list of Instant Messaging Clients out there, we needed to narrow the list to just two for practical purposes..  Sterling Offshore uses "Live Chat" from Provide Support for its website communications. We also use Skype for this function due to its versatility, universal popularity and encryption capabilities. 

Information Storage

Sterling Offshore backs up all sensitive files through onto an onsite file server.  The files being stored are themselves encrypted for even more security. 

Conclusion

What does this all mean? This means that Sterling Offshore takes your privacy and the security of your sensitive information seriously.  We pay attention to detail.  Hopefully, this is one more way that potential clients will see how Sterling Offshore conducts business; further differentiating us from the assembly line” model offshore incorporation mills.  We are happy to offer basic guidance to assist you with your IT security as well.  After all, it does no good for us to have all of this in place if you are not following similar practices on your end.  Similarly, we will accept any additional suggestions and/or requirements from clients in order to better meet your specific privacy needs.