Health Commerce System (HCS) Browser Requirements
HCS Browser Requirements
At more than 20 years old, the Health Commerce System is a mature system providing access to over 250 individual data transaction applications of varying ages. Older applications available through the Health Commerce System may have specific Internet browser requirements that may or may not conflict with the generally supported browsers. In such cases, users are encouraged to check the application profile for specific requirements and should direct any concerns to the application owner.
General Browser Requirements
- TLS 1.2 encryption enabled
- Browser set to accept cookies
- Javascript must be enabled
Supported Browsers
Accessing the HCS from a browser embedded in virtualized desktop software is not reccomended or supported. For example, electronic medical record (EMR) software using iFrames may be vulnerable to cross-site scripting, cross-frame scripting, or clickjacking attacks.
Due to the volatile nature of rapid release schedules for modern Internet browsers the Health Commerce System generally supports the current and previous versions of the following Internet browsers:
Desktop:
- Microsoft Edge
- Google Chrome
- Safari (macOS only)
Mobile:
- Safari (iOS12.5 or 15 or later)
- Google Chrome (iOS15/Android 11.0 or later)
Limited Support:
- Mozilla Firefox (Desktop/Mobile)
- Most WebKit-based browsers (Android OS 11.0 or later)
Unsupported Browsers:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 and older
- Microsoft Internet Explorer Mobile (Windows 8 Phone)
- Safari for Windows (Desktop)
- Browsers embeded in virtualized desktop software
Mozilla has unfortunately taken a divergent path in developing the Firefox browser and recent changes to Firefox may negatively impact the average person's ability to use many applications and resources found on the HCS. As such we can only offer limited support for this highly technical browser. You may be asked to choose an alternate if you encounter issues that are not easily resolved by non-technical users. This excludes any legacy applications that may require a specific early version of Mozilla Firefox to operate. We may re-examine full Firefox support in the future.
Due to the flexibility of the WebKit engine customization, we can state that the HCS should work with most WebKit browsers but can only offer limited support. You may be asked to choose an alternate if you encounter issues that are not easily resolved.
Troubleshooting web sites:
- Troubleshoot Adobe Acrobat: http://www.adobe.com/support/products/acrreader.html
- Find out about your browser: http://www.whatsmybrowser.org/
- Review your browser's SSL (TLS) support: https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/viewMyClient.html
Not sure which Internet browser you are using? Go to http://www.whatsmybrowser.org/ to find out.
Download Software
Software needed to view the Commerce web pages and documents is available from the 3rd party web sites listed below.
Web Browsers:
By clicking on one of the icons you will be directed to the browser download page.
Network Requirements
This information is intended for network administrators, particularly firewall and proxy security administrators in organizations that need to access the Health Commerce System (HCS). It will help you configure your network to support the secure connection to HCS.
NOTE: Connectivity must be ensured on or prior to July 31st, 2023
This information primarily focuses on the network requirements of accessing HCS from Internet browser via HTTPS. Most organizations deploy an internet firewall, or internet proxy and firewall, to restrict and control the HTTP based traffic that leaves and enters their network. Follow the firewall and proxy guidance below to enable access to HCS from your network.
If you are using a firewall only, note that filtering HCS traffic using IP addresses is NOT recommended, as the IP addresses used by HCS are dynamic and may change at any time. The IP addresses also are not used exclusively by HCS but also by other customers of our service provider.
If your firewall supports URL filtering, configure the firewall to allow the HCS destination URLs listed here. An * shown at the beginning of a URL (e.g., *.health.ny.gov) indicates that services in the top-level domain and all subdomains must be accessible, which will also help to ensure that users in your organization can access other DOH systems in addition to HCS.
- *.health.ny.gov
- *.health.state.ny.us
If your firewall does not support URL filtering and must use IP filtering, configure the firewall to allow the HCS destination IPs listed here, but please notice that the IP addresses used by HCS are dynamic and may change at any time, therefore you need to continuously review and update your firewall accordingly.
https://commerce.health.state.ny.us/public/ipapp/
If you have any questions or issues, please contact hcsoutreach@health.ny.gov
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