Using
SSL (Secure Socket Layer):
SSL Provides a Secure Connection:
A secure connection means two things: encryption and authentication.
Encryption ensures that no one can snoop the connection between the
browser and your server; authentication ensures the client, through
a certificate, that the server is who they say they are. The
security is assured on two levels.
At the network level, the first time the browser connects to a
server, the browser stores the server's certificate. This is the
encryption part of the secure connection. Each time the browser
"thinks" that it is communicating with this same server,
it verifies that this same certificate is used to assure the secure
connection.
At a higher level, a server's certificate is "signed" by a
trusted external authority that the browser knows about, such as
VeriSign or Thawte. This is the authentication part of the secure
connection. The server information (country, state, city,
organization) is encoded into the certificate and certificate
request. The external authority signs your request and guarantees
that your server information is legitimate.
For example, if a Website sends a signed certificate saying that it
comes from Oznethost in Bellevue, Perth, Australia, the end user can
trust (due to the signed certificate from the external authority)
that this Website is indeed run by this company located in this
city.
You have two options for using SSL:
Install your own certificate:
You can purchase a certificate from Verisign
or from Thawte. We will setup
your SSL certificate to work for you for a one time setup fee of
$80.00AU. We will need to generate a certificate signing
request and email it to you. We will also generate a private key for
you. If you would like for us to install your own certificate,
please send your request to support.
Use our server-wide certificates:
If SSL is included with your hosting plan, you can also utilize our
server-wide certificate.
To utilize a server-wide certificate, just email support with a
request and they will inform you as to what server you are located
on.
All secure server requests use a
similar address as follows: https://secureservername/~yourusername
Using FormMail.pl through secure server:
If you are calling the FormMail script through the secure server,
your action line and other code will look like the following:
<FORM METHOD=POST ACTION=
"https://secureservername/~yourusername/cgi-bin/FormMail.pl">
<input type=hidden name="recipient"
value="emailaccount@yourdomain.com">
<input type=hidden name="subject" value="Order">
<input type=hidden name="return_link_URL" value=
"https://secureservername/~yourusername/yourpage.html">
<input type=hidden name="return_link_title" value=
"https://secureservername/~yourusername/yourpage.html">
The last two lines allow
a link back to your main page - thus they get a report of what they
ordered and a link.
It's important that you call your order page through a secure URL
(https) in order for it to work properly. For example:
https://secureservername/~yourusername/yourorderform.html
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