Chapter 4 - eCommerce

4.1 Secure Server (SSL)

4.1.0 SSL - General Overview

SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer, Internet standard used to transfer information securely across the Internet. SSL establishes a secure channel between your visitor's browser and your web site on our server. Through this channel, sensitive information such as credit card numbers can be exchanged securely.

4.1.1 SSL - When to use secure server.

If you want to take customer payment information via your web site, it's important to have your order form called via SSL (secure socket layer). Currently secure server is primarily used for taking credit card information over the Internet but its purpose is not limited to that.

4.1.2 SSL - How to use secure server.

You can obtain your own Digital Certificate from VeriSign or Thawte through GLOBEINT.COM. This will allow you to reference a secure URL using your own domain name; https://YOURDOMAIN.com gives your site a more professional feel.

Please contact support to request instructions on obtaining your own digital certificate.

1) Place your order page (e.g. order.html) in your regular web directory.

2) In order to call this page, order.html, in secure mode, you need to have following url:

For example, suppose you want to have a link from your index.html page to your secure order form, you would put following html in your index.html page:

Example: Let's assume your domain name is "foobar.com" and your secure server name is id67.securedata.net, the secure server link would be:

https://id67.securedata.net/foobar/order.html

IMPORTANT: You will need send an email to support@globeint.com to find out what you should put in idXX as each server has to have unique name.

3) To call your cgi-scripts via SSL, you should use following url:

Example: https://id67.securedata.net/cgi-bin/somescript.pl

NOTE TO FrontPage USERS: Only scripts in cgi-bin will be recognized by SSL (_vti_bin/shtml.exe which FrontPage configures will not work securely). This is not limited to GlobeInt.com but a general problem with FrontPage. This means that WebBot Save Results Component of FrontPage will not work with SSL.

4.2 Getting Your Own Secure Server Certificate

There are several steps involved in obtaining your own secure server certificate. It involves you, GlobeInt.com and either of the two certificate issuing companies - VeriSign and Thawte.

One of the reasons why our customers opt to obtain their own certificate is mainly for marketing reasons. Having your own certificate gives your online business higher level of credibility that often translate into to higher sales volume.

VeriSign vs. Thawte.
From a practical standpoint, there is not much difference between the two companies except in pricing. VeriSign is $349/year and Thawte is $129/year. VeriSign is a more established brand of the two.

Steps to Obtaining Your Own Certificate:

• Step 1. CSR Generation by GlobeInt.com
  Please fill out the form below. There is one time setup fee of $150.00 from us to generate the CSR for you.

  Fields in RED are required.
  Country Name (2 Letter Code)
  State of Province
  City
  Company (Organization Name)
  Department Name
  Server Host Name
  Name
  Phone
  Email
  Website
  Spam Protection: To submit this form, please enter the above number:

  Here is a sample CSR request from an imaginary customer whose domain name if foobar.com:
  

  Country Name (2 Letter Code)	US
  State of Province	New York
  City	New York
  Company (Organization Name)	XYZ Corp
  Department Name	Secure Services Division
  Common Name	www.YOURDOMAIN.com
  Server Host Name	xyz.com
  Administrators Email	webmaster@xyz.com

• Step 2. Within 24 hours, our support team will email you the newly created CSR. Once you receive your CSR, you can choose to go to either VeriSign or Thawte. Here are the URLs:
  • VeriSign: http://www.verisign.com/server/prd/s/sbun.html>
  • Thawte: http://www.thawte.com/certs/server/request.html
  When asked about the server platform, please choose Apache Secure Server.

• Step 3. Once you receive the notification from the issuing authority that your secure server certificate has been generated, please contact our support team at support@globeint.com We will then install your secure server for you within 24 hours.

  Expect 7 days for the whole process.

4.3 Akopia Interchange

Please see Akopia Interchange web site to obtain additional information, or fell free to contact us with your questions/problem.