Secure Server

The Purpose of a Secure Server
Steps to Obtaining a Secure Key
The Cost
Once Your Key is Ready
Known Browser Problem

In order for data on the Internet to be considered secure it must be sent to a server that contains a "Digital Key". This key performs a few functions. Two very important functions that we are concerned with are:

1) Data encryption…
When someone comes to your Web site and fills out an order form, the data being sent from the clients' web browser (for example in California) where he/she entered the information, to your server (here in beautiful New Jersey) is normally sent across thousands of miles of wires and passes through dozens of computers. That information (i.e. a credit card number) has a slight possibility of being seen by a number of people who may decide to use that information in a way not considered polite. When a server has a key, it has the ability to communicate with the clients' browser and secretly rearrange the data so that it is sent across the Internet encrypted. Therefore, it looks NOTHING like the original data being sent. Once the server has the garbled up mess it can then rearrange the data back to normal. This process is considered EXTREMELY SECURE.

2) Confidence….
Let's imagine you have been spending your last few hours at work surfing the Internet (with your bosses permission of course!) and you have finally found that piece to fix your 8 track player. So, you go to the company's home page and follow the links to their "secure order form". Great you think, I'll send them my credit card, it will be securely encrypted, and in just 5 short days I'll be playing my 8 tracks again. So you send the card, but wait WHO IS THIS? Will I really get my part? Will I see a charge for a $500 dinner? The digital key helps answer this. As you will see in a little while, getting a key involves a little bit of work…Before you can receive your key you will need to prove to a Certificate Authority (CA) just who you are. How you do this is described below. So what does this mean to you … Well, when you send your credit card to this company you can be very sure they are a legitimate company simply because off all the proof they had to provide to obtain their key!

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Ten Steps to Obtaining a Secure Key

1) You supply us with information about yourself, i.e. Name, Address, Phone etc…
2) We encode that information and add it to an additional code to generate1/2 of the key on our server.
3) We then place the key in a form on a WebPage of one of the Certificate Authorities (CA's).
4) We fill out additional info on the CA's page and submit that data.
5) The CA provides a tracking code and additional instructions, which we e-mail to you.
6) You will then need to send/fax them documentation about your company.
7) You will be able to monitor the status of your request - it may take up to 3 days to complete.
8) Once approved, we will be instructed to go to a web site where we will be given the second half of your key. (This is called having your key signed by a CA).
9) We will take that part of the key and import it into your site on our server.
10) Take a nap - you're done!

It isn't really as confusing as it sounds.

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The Cost....

Now that we have shown you the value of having your own key, we will tell you how much it costs. Remember, you don't only get the encryption, but also your customers get the confidence of knowing that you are who you say you are.

Sounds like an infomercial doesn't it!!!!!

Well, here it is:

It is $50 per year for us to create the key and maintain it on our secure server. Then, you must pay Thawte, the CA that authenticates the key, $100 per year for as long as you want the key.

That's it, that is all the fees!!!

Now if you want a secure key, e-mail secure@nerdworldnj.com to find out what infomation is necessary to get started.

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Once You Get Your Key Authenticated and Installed:

You must change the link to your order form page to:

https://www.domainname.com/nameoforderpage.html

Don't forget the "s" at the end of "http" as this opens up the "Secure Socket Layer" (SSL). Any page will be secure if you put an "s" after the "http".

You must then, change your order form script to the following:
<FORM ACTION="/cgi-bin/mailer.cgi" METHOD=POST>
<input type=hidden name=to value="yourname\@yourdomain.com">
<input type=hidden name=subject value="a subject">
<input type=hidden name=title value="a title">
<input type=hidden name=redirect value="https://www.domain.com/thankyou.html">

Don't forget the "\" before the"@"
Recommended:

Create a "Thank You" page named, "thankyou.html". It should say:

"Thank You for your order. Click here to return to our homepage. Please Note: You will get a warning message that says that you are now going to a nonsecure page."

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Known Browser Problem:

Some older browsers might not accept "https" pages. If this occurs, go to Thawte's Root Certificates Page to update your root certificate and enable your browser. You also might want to include this information on your homepage for any of your customers that might have older browsers.

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