Secure Servers and Internet Security

Secure Sockets Layer

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:.

Secure 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.