|
|
Secure
Servers and Internet Security
Secure
Servers use SSL which is short for Secure Sockets Layer,
a protocol developed by Netscape for transmitting private
documents via the Internet. SSL works by using a private
key to encrypt data that's transferred over the SSL connection.
Both Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer support SSL,
and many Web sites use the protocol to obtain confidential
user information, such as credit card numbers. By convention,
URLs that require an SSL connection start with https: instead
of http:.
Another
protocol for transmitting data securely over the World
Wide Web is Secure HTTP (S-HTTP). Whereas SSL creates a
secure connection between a client and a server, over which
any amount of data can be sent securely, S-HTTP is designed
to transmit individual messages securely. SSL and S-HTTP,
therefore, can be seen as complementary rather than competing
technologies. Both protocols have been approved by the
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) as a standard.
|
An
SSL Secure Server certificate:
Confirms that you are who you say
you are in a virtual world.
Encrypts information sent to and from your web server.
Protects information from being tampered with. You need one if:
You conduct online transactions via your web site.
You receive/send information of a personal nature via your web site.
You wish to inspire trust in those who communicate with you via your
web site.
You require secure server to server communication.
By installing an SSL Web Server certificate, you immediately open
yourself up to doing more business with more people. You are effectively
sending out a signal that you are aware of the pitfalls of doing
business online, and have taken measures to minimize them.
But the real benefits
lie with your customers. Straight away, they will know 2 things:
You
are who you claim to be and thus the risks of doing business online
are minimized. Information exchanged with you is private
and entirely protected from being viewed or tampered with.
Personal
Email Secure Certificates
A Personal E-mail certificate allows
you to secure your e-mail communications by digitally signing and encrypting
your e-mails. Sensitive information is not limited to online transactions or web
site forms. By securing your personal e-mail with a Personal
E-mail certificate, you ensure the safety of all your outbound e-mail
communication. Furthermore, those communicating with you will be able
to verify that mail coming from your e-mail address is in fact from
your e-mail address.
Personal E-mail certificates can be used to:
Sign your e-mail communications
so that people know the mail came from your e-mail address.
Encrypt your e-mail communications to prevent unauthorized people from
reading them.
Authenticate your identity to Web servers. Most modern Web browsers
allow you to use a Personal E-mail certificate to authenticate
yourself to a Web server.
|
